
Glass __ 

Book_Jill 





Lea s„ OiLev anil Co,Li 






ON THE WING. 



BY 



M AXIMILIA N, 

LATE 

EMPEEOB OF MEXICO. 



IBAJWSLATED I5Y 



A. M. LUSniXGTON. 







LONDON : 

>.\ I"\ DEBS, OTLET, \ \l> CO. 

■ 66,) BROOK" STREET, \Y. 

1868. 






A*' 7 



PRINTED BY J. TS. TAYLOB AND CO., 
LITTLE QUEEN STKKKT, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS. 



INTRODUCTION. 



These pages, which, should properly have appeared 
under the title ' From my Life,' amongst the jour- 
nals already published of the immortal Emperor 
Maximilian, are given through a peculiar chain 
of circumstances, at the conclusion of them, and 
under a separate title. 

This volume, when first published, was in- 
tended only for private circulation, especially as 
presents to the imperial Austrian Court, and the 
Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian's relations. The 
following diary of the Archduke-Emperor's first 



VI INTRODUCTION. 

journey in Greece (the Prince was then about 
eighteen years old) was, originally, not considered 
important enough by the author, in his modesty, to 
be worthy of publication. Now, however, after the 
misfortunes of the Emperor Maximilian, we believe 
we can offer no more grateful gift to the numerous 
admirers of his character and of his talents, than 
the pages of his first work, which make known 
the warm enthusiasm of the imperial youth for all 
that is good and beautiful. 

The journey to Greece took place in the student- 
days of the young prince. It was a vacation trip, 
that had been arranged for him as well as for 
his younger brother, the Archduke Charles Louis, 
by his imperial parents. The fellow-travellers 
were the Archduke Max, the Archduke Charles, 
the Prince Jablonowsky (since then dead, in the 
bloom of his youth), the Count Coudenhove (now 
colonel in the army), the Baron Koller, the Ke- 
corder Kaltenbeck (known as the editor of learned 
papers, since also dead), the Professor Geiger (a 



INTRODUCTION. Vll 

talented and highly-esteemed painter), aflil Doctor 
Fritsch (imperial body-physician of his Majesty the 
Emperor Francis Joseph, who had lent him to his 
brothers). 

The steamship ' Vulcan, 'which carried the Princes, 
was commanded by the present Vice- Admiral and 
Commandant of the marine, at that time Captain 
Julins Yissiak, whilst Dr. Ilek (now naval surgeon, 
and former medical adviser of the unhappy Empress 
Charlotte until her departure from Miramar) was 
placed as the ship's doctor upon the corvette. The 
journey was to serve no intellectual purpose, but 
was solely an excursion of pleasure. The Archduke 
Max, as well as his brother, who was just enter- 
ing into adolescence, did not yet belong to the 
" service." The former of these soon entered the 
navy, and was obliged to keep guard on board 
ship during the Italian journey in the year 1851. 

There exists at Miramar a pretty picture by 
Prof< — r Geiger, which depicts the presentation 
to the Pasha of Smyrna, and in which the two 



VI11 INTRODUCTION. 

Archduk«B appear in white uniforms. The passion 
of Prince Max for the sea and the South presents 
itself forcibly in the foreground of the following 
pages. This passion never left him. The cabin 
was his favourite retreat. He caused his own 
chamber in Miramar to be made almost like 
one. The waves of the sea, which surrounded 
the castle, completed the delusion. It is a large 
square room, scarcely more than nine feet high, 
and one of the most cheerful and interesting in 
the castle. Except the empty spot upon the 
writing-table, which the Archduke -Emperor could 
not do without, there was scarcely a free place 
to be found. He was, as this diary proves, a 
diligent and painstaking collector. The tables, the 
drawers, and the closets in his room were all 
covered or rilled with curiosities, and the produc- 
tions of all countries and seas ; meanwhile, the most 
comfortable furniture was not wanting. After 
dinner the Archduke was wont to come here with 
his gentlemen to smoke a cigar, whilst his august 



INTRODUCTION. IX 

consort, separated only by a few rooms, remained 
amidst her ladies ; and lie went backwards and 
forwards, enlivening them equally with bis brief 
and merry remarks. 

It must here be stated, in order to give a 
slight biographical sketch of the immortal author, 
that Ferdinand Maximilian was born on the Gth 
of June, 1832, so that when he died, on the 
19th of Juno, 180 7, he had just completed his 
thirty-flith year. He was always called in his 
family by his second name, which he also 
exclusively bore as Emperor of Mexico. lie 
^vas so weak and ugly a child, so quiet and 

erred in manner, that only his mother's eyes 
could see his awakening spirit in his lively 
glances. 

Two traits of his earliest childhood arc here 
related, although these pages can only give but 
the barest outline of his life. When Max had 
just learnt to speak he was shown a dwarf, who 
had retained the childish figure, but whose face 



X INTRODUCTION. 

was that of an old man. The little fellow, though 
only two years old, ran to his nurse in the adjoin- 
ing room, exclaiming, " There stands an old 
child !" This was one of the earliest glimpses 
of his intelligence. His affections were more ex- 
pressively shown when the time came for the young 
Archduke to be placed under a tutor; his little 
heart was filled with sorrow at the separation 
from his nurse, Fraulein von Sturmfeder. The 
Fraulein loved his handsomer and more lively 
brother Francis, who was two years his senior, 
far better than himself, the pale, thin, reserved 
boy. When, however, she was leaving, Max threw 
his arms round her neck, and cried out, sobbing, 
U I love you so much, so much, as much as you 
love Frank!" 

As the Archduke grew up he won the love 
and esteem of all those who surrounded him 
by the freshness and warmth of his disposition, 
as well as by his lively wit. He was one of 
nature's guileless true sons. He never wished 



INTRODUCTION. XI 

to bo more than he was. Loss Prince than 

man, he yet prized his high station greatly, 
recognizing, however, the duties it entailed 
upon him ; innumerable passages in his writings 
prove this. Those who surrounded him did not 
know how to praise sufficiently his courtesy and 
his hifirh-mindedness, and there was but one 

O 7 

voice regarding his perseverance in learning 
and circumspection in undertaking his allotted 
tasks. 

Soon after his return from Greece, Ferdinand 
Maxmilian entered the navy. lie belonged to it 
until he left his castle of Miramax for ever. He 
first proved his efficiency as Commander-in-Chief 
at the far-famed siege of Lissa. After a manoeuvre 
which was performed by the fleet of his Majesty 
Francis Joseph, the Emperor named his eminent 
brother Governor- General of Lombardy and Ve- 
netia. 

At this period, 1856, took place his betrothal 
with the much-respected Princess Charlotte of 



Xll INTRODUCTION. 

Belgium. In the year 1857 he settled with his 
young wife at Milan, where they led a happy life 
in the rose-adorned gardens of Monza. Events 
which shook the world called him two years after- 
wards from this post. 

What he suffered during this time is only to 
be expressed in his own words. He had in his 
library a slate headed with the inscription " Me- 
mento Verona !" It continued : " This memento I 
read when I feel unhappy, for more wretched than 
I was then I can never be." 

What took place later belongs to history. 
What he must have suffered, far from all who 
were dear to him, is unspeakable. His wife, 
the heroic companion of his overwhelming sorrows, 
during the time of his government he believed 
to be dead. 

We may hope that his spirit in the hour of 
death was comforted by a kind of vision, for 
when they were about to bind his eyes he 
cried, "No! no! for then I could not see my 



INTRODUCTION. XI 11 

mother." With his look fixed heavenwards, he 

awaited the fatal shot. Upon him we may quote 
his own words : — 

He lived in order to die, 
lie died- in order to live. 



CONTENTS 



PACK 



INTRODUCTION V 

TRIESTE 1 

THE FIRST DAY OX GRECIAN LAND 14 

A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE 32 

ATHENS 104 

A VISIT TO THE MOSQUE IN SMYRNA 198 

A VISIT TO THE SLAVE-MARKET OF SMYRNA . . . .21-3 

THE BAZAAR OF SMYRNA 21 ( J 

A TURKISH BATH 231 

A MORNING WITH THE PASHA OF SMYRNA 241 

A TRIP l" I (7RNABA 273 

orfu 287 

two days in thb bocche dl cattaro 293 

>A 311 

THE FOURTH OF OCTOBER, UN THE OPEM SEA . . . 535 



ON THE WING. 



CHAPTER I. 



TRIESTE. 



Trieste, 2nd September, 1850. 
The most beautiful view of Trieste is incontcstably 
q from the obelisk of Optschina. The traveller 
drives for hours through the stony wastes of the 
Karstes, on which a heavy curse seems to rest ; the 
rocks form grey figures, which, to the fancy, appear 
the ruins of houses and villages ; dry bushes stretch 
out their arms, and no sign of life rejoices the tra- 
veller's eye. An atmosphere of douht and mystery 



Z ON THE WTNG. 

is spread over the Ivarstes, until at length, after a 
long journey, the tired wanderer is enlivened by 
the sight of the obelisk, standing there like a type 
of hope. Though it is still the valley of sorrow, 
above all is noble, bright, and living; the posti- 
lion is hurried on with impatience,, the last brief 
ascent to the obelisk is quickly accomplished, and 
now the picture of the infinite lies stretched be- 
fore the feet of the enchanted wayfarer, whose de- 
light is the greater from the contrast it forms to 
the dead sea of stones beneath them. 

Beyond shines the living sea, where the shim- 
mering sails gleam like swans on the water, and 
the fruitful terrace-formed shores, studded with 
beautiful villas, surround it in a semicircle. Last 
of all, the busy town is seen with its roads spread- 
ing out like a map, and a second floating town, 
formed by ships, gay with life and motion. 

The view of Optschina is certainly one of the 
most beautiful in the world. An excellent road, 
with a very slight zigzag, leads down the mountain ; 



TRIESTE. 



3 



between vineyards and country houses yon catch 
sight of, Trith over increasing exhilaration, glimpses 
of the beautiful sea, — a foretaste of the South. You 
feel it is Italy ! The town itself is new, and hears 
the stamp of a commercial city. The buildings 
are large, massive, and cleanly, but the architecture 
is poor. The streets are of a tedious uniformity, 
and so like one another as to be uninteresting. 

From an historical point of view it offers little re- 
markable ; only in the neighbourhood of the cathe- 
dral, which is built on high ground, are to be found 
a few Roman and old Christian antiquities, but 
they arc of not much importance. 

Naturally, every stranger in Trieste seeks to live 
on the quay, therefore we went to the Hotel Na- 
tional, which looks upon the sea, and is one of the 

srt houses of entertainment I know. As we had 

visited Trieste before, we did not weary ourselves 

with the so-called curiosities, but were fain to study 

life during our short stay, and found much to in- 

b\ us. After an excellent luncheon of fresh sea- 

b 2 



4 ON THE WING. 

fish, we were conducted to a richly-stocked Chinese 
warehouse, from the stores of which the ship c Wel- 
lington ' was to be laden. 

On board this vessel there were many Chinese 
and Indian sailors ; it was to leave the port the 
following day and return to London ; we embarked 
in a boat and went on board to see them. 

After we had made ourselves understood as well 
as we could, by the English sailors, we climbed a 
small narrow rope-ladder on to the foredeck, and 
fancied ourselves amidst a collection of Yieuxlac 
pictures, so entirely were we transplanted into the 
Chinese world. 

We were surrounded by ill-formed men of middle 
size, with pale yellow skins, high cheek-bones, round 
noses, sloping eyes, and black pigtails several feet in 
length, which grew from the centre of their other- 
wise shorn heads ; their clothing consisted of a 
sack-like spencer, and broad trousers of the same 
colourless material. A few carried a kind of 
parasol made of reeds ; their necks and feet were 



TMESTE. D 

bare ; these were the sailors. They looked coarse 
but good-natured; their faces would have been 
dull and heavy, if their sharp dark eyes had not 
glittered forth from them. 

The people were friendly, although knavish, and 
did not seem in the least embarrassed. At sonic 
distance apart stood several timid-looking, meagre, 
weakly little men, with dark, oily, shining faces, 
but more noble features, speaking however of dis- 
trust, black hair, and gleaming eyes. Except for 
their turban-covered heads, they were dressed like 
the Chinese ; their expression was fanatically 
gloomy ; their manner retiring and serious. They 
were the Indian crew, which, with the addition of 
three or four Europeans, was complete. An English 
captain commanded. 

The uncouthncss and disobligingness of the In- 
dians formed a great contrast to the friendly readi- 
ness of the Chinese. At first, it appeared as if the 
captain did not wish to notice us; but after a time 
lie added a rejoinder to our remarks occasionally. 



ON THE WING. 

We inspected the interesting parts of the ship, and 
watched the Indians and Chinese in their varied 
attitudes. Some sat with legs covered ; others lay 
stretched at full length; others again were ga- 
thered round the galley fire in an unsightly mass, 
lighting their short pipes at the embers. 

"We must acknowledge that the Chinese are true 
to nature in the representations they give of them- 
selves ; their every posture and every feature were 
already known to us from the hangings and screens 
which ornament our European boudoirs. We could 
almost fancy they carried pagodas on their nod- 
ding, turning heads as we looked at their atte- 
nuated limbs, and long, majestic pigtails. By 
these last appendages, though forbidden by Euro- 
peans, the worshippers of Confucius set great store ; 
they are so long that during their work they wind 
them round their neck and body. The ages of 
these people appeared to be between thirty and 
forty ; their muscular system was very strong and 
coarse, and inclining to roundness. 



TRIESTE. t 

One amongst them, who had shown himself par- 
ticularly amiable, and who had smiled often good- 
naturedly and knowingly upon us, spoke broken En- 
glish. We asked him if he had nothing to sell of 
the products of his land, whereupon he brought a 
bundle of little sticks, which, as he gave us to 
understand by signs, were burnt during prayers. 
When Ave tried them at home, they burnt a very 
long time, and smelt very agreeably. 

Amongst the Indians two figures interested us 
particularly, — an old man, with a beautiful white 
beard, prominent nose, thick lips, and dreamy, sad, 
half-closed eyes. A white turban was bound round 
his small head, which contrasted well with his 
dark complexion. Ilis countenance reminded one 
of a heavy-laden, sleepy camel. 

The second was a younger, smaller black man, of 
supple build ; his shiny, curly hair was of a black- 
blue colour; his features were noble and beautiful; 
his complexion was brilliant; and out of his dark 
tone a gloomy, melancholy fire. His expres- 



b ON THE WING. 

sion repulsed, while at the same time it attracted 
you, as you see in gipsies, Hungarians, and Jews. 
At our departure we divided among the Asiatics a 
few bright silver pieces, which appeared to make a 
very good impression ; for, as we pushed off from 
the side of the ship, the friendly Chinese put their 
heads out of the ports, and nodded most cordially, 
as I said just now. 

Some days after this I had the gratification, on a 
beautiful sunny day, of swimming for the first 
time in the sea. He who has worked hard to keep 
himself afloat in standing water, and exerted him- 
self like a struggling poodle, feels freshened and 
borne up upon the salt flood, like a swan on the blue 
waves. The sun, too, shines so deliciously on the 
magnificent harbour, that it is a pleasure to move 
about in these waters. After we had left the bath, 
feeling strengthened, we fished for some time in 
the abundant sea, and drew out oysters, which we 
immediately devoured. We next gave ourselves 
up to an occupation not so pleasant as the last, but 
very worthy of notice nevertheless. 



FKIKSTK. 9 

A diver was to descend to the depths of the sea 
before our very eyes. It was an awful moment, and 

had I known before how it was managed, I should 
never have wished to see it. We ascended to the 1 
ship on which the poor diver was, — the only one 
amongst 80,000 men who had the courage to 
follow this trade. 

He already sat upon a bench, clothed in an 
indiarubber dress, an air-tight helmet of heavy iron 
on his shoulders, which they screwed on the iron 
rim of his dress. In this covering for his head 
were two glass panes for his eyes, behind the 
opening, into which an indiarubber pipe was fixed, 
for the purpose of conducting air to him through a 
pump. The attire itself is fearful ; all is so tight 
and so screwed, that it gives one a sense of suffo- 
cation. 

A heavy anchor was now thrown into the deep 
waters, to which the diver, upon reaching the 
bottom, was to fasten a rope. It was certainly 
more prosaic than if he had fetched the "golden 



10 ON THE WING. 

goblets " out of the flood, but the danger was not 
less great. Schiller's beautiful youth was obliged 
to throw away mantle and girdle; on this poor 
young man heavy weights were hung to preserve 
him under the waters, and the glowing eyes of a 
lovely princess did not inspire him ; he descended 
on a rope ladder, and disappeared in the floods. 
Only the ever- widening circles in the water showed 
where he had sunk. 

Long, long he gave no sign. It was a painful, 
terrible time for us ; the thought forced itself upon 
us that the poor man might be a sacrifice to our 
curiosity. Had I not been ashamed before those 
who were accustomed to this spectacle, I should 
have begged them to call the man back from his 
dangerous undertaking. When our anxiety had 
reached its highest point, he at last gave the sign 
that his work was finished. The machines were 
now set in motion, and they drew the heavily- 
laden hero up again, and quickly disengaged him 
from his oppressive paraphernalia. He was greatly 
fatigued and exhausted. 



TRIESTE. 11 

- Er athmete lang und athinete fcief, 

Uud begrusste das himmlische Licht ; 
Und frohlockend ea Einen dem Anderen rief 
Er lebt, er ist da, es behielt ibn nicht." 

He confessed that each time it cost him a 
struggle to trust himself to the floods ; the first 
time especially the rush of the stream of air into 
the metal helmet had been terrible to him. Once 
he was taken ill at the bottom of the sea, but he 
Mas able by a sign to make his condition known ; 
however, he is always exposed to many dangers, 
— the heat inay bring on apoplexy. If the pump 
is worked too quickly, and too much air is let 
in, he is stilled ; the same thing occurs if the 
water finds an entrance into his helmet. The 
managers confessed to me that none of themselves 
would run the risk. I readily believed them, and 
wondered more than ever at the courage of the 
diver. He is one of the imperial sailors, and 
is called " Nichola Bendich." lie had noble but 
sickly, sad features, and is of a fine although 
slender figure. 



12 



OTs T THE WING. 



The appearance of a Fata Morgana npon the sea, 
— a sight I had long desired to behold, fell to my 
lot one morning at Trieste, although they are not 
very frequent in this port. We had stepped out 
on the balcony after breakfast, from whence we en- 
joyed the view before us. As I looked towards the 
horizon, I fancied I saw a second expanse of water ; 
on the other side were floating sailing-vessels, but 
turned upside down, and shores unseen before 
seemed stretched before the eyes, — it was the magic 
sight of a double sea, in whose partition most vari- 
ous objects were represented. 

The most lovely sunlight fell on the scene, which 
lasted long enough for us to contemplate it at lei- 
sure. At length the picture melted like a beau- 
tiful dream into blue air. We only stayed half a 
day longer in Trieste, and then, on a glorious morn- 
ing, clave the waters of the Adriatic on the magni- 
ficent steamship ' Vulcan,' sailing towards the 
coasts of beautiful Hellas. 

My feelings as the harbour vanished from our 



TRIESTE. 1 3 

sight were those of a conqueror, for at this mo- 
ment my dearest wish was fulfilled. Wc had a 
thousand plans and hopes in our thoughts, so that 
this parting was one of the most cheerful I ever 
experienced. 



14 



CHAPTER II. 

THE FIRST DAY ON GRECIAN LAND. 

September 8, 1850. 
Towards five o'clock in the morning I stepped on 
to the foredeck, and was almost overpowered by 
the noble view which presented itself to my eyes. 
In soft rose-colonred ontlines extended the Gulf 
of Patras, as seen in the morning twilight. The 
mountains of the Peloponnesus and the rocky 
tops of Eumelia glowed in the reflection of the 
rising sunbeams ; a mysterious semi-darkness en- 
veloped the shores of the calm blue-green sea. To 
the south the vaulted sky stretched into infinite 
distance, the colours were laid on in great massive 



THE FIRST DAY OX GRECIAN LAND. I 5 

tones, from the deep blue of the distant mountains 
to the most brilliant rose-rod of tho glimmering 

rocks. A morning on the Alps is considered as the 
most beautiful thing- in nature ; I have seen it, and 
it is certainly a grand spectacle ; but the magnifi- 
cence and glory of the south is unrivalled, and tho 
thin mist in the valleys does not equal the magic of 
the sea. 

To our left we caught sight of Missolunghi, 
where the grateful Greeks have placed a monument 
to Lord Byron. He died here, armed to fight for 
the liberty of the country, whose charms he has 
sung in immortal verso. Before us, in the deep 
shadows, lay Patras ; to its left was the entrance to 
the Bay of Lepanto, where the shimmer of the new- 
born day is turned into a silver band. Suddenly, 
in the direction of Corinth, the sun bursts forth, 
and nature rejoices in her new life. 

reely, however, did we sec the golden rays 
dancing on tho waves, than the speed of our steam- 
ship placed the high mountains of Patras between 



16 ON THE WING. 

us and it ; then we saw it rise once more, this time 
remaining faithful to us, and gladdening us with 
its southern power. Now, again, we saw the 
town, surrounded with green luxuriant vineyards, 
crowned with a ruined Venetian fortress ; its long, 
but not very broad masses of houses stretch along 
the roads. 

As we had not landed since leaving Pola, the 
south burst suddenly upon us ; the barren, rocky, 
mountain-way making the shore look more smiling. 
Our ship was soon surrounded by light fishing- 
boats, filled with curious Greeks in white fusta- 
nellas and artistic caps, who watched the new ar- 
rivals. The little boats, with their three-cornered 
sails, cleft the green transparent waters like swans. 
As we had cast anchor about two hundred yards 
from the town, several messengers approached with 
a petition to allow our ships to be visited, which, 
however, did not take place, firstly, because we 
had no "pratica," and, secondly, that these visits 
are inconvenient under the circumstances. After we 



THE FIRST DAY OX GRECIAN LAND. L< 

had cast anchor, which was the first part of us 
winch touched Grecian land, we could contemplate 
the town and its hustle from afar. 

It was an extraordinarily lovely day, just such 
an one as we would desire for a first glimpse of an 
eagerly sought land, and the delight only known to 
a traveller when he reaches the aim of his wishes, 
took possession of me. The exterior view of the 
town had an Italian character; the houses are built 
in irregular picturesque crowds, and the friendly 
vine clusters over all the wall. 

Patras lies at the bottom of a hill, which slopes 
up to the high mountains. The lower houses 
stretch out to the sea. Its antiquity was not 
remarkable. With the exception of one or two 
sarcophagi, it contains few interesting relics. 
Whilst under the Venetian rule, it was important 
"ii account of its fortress; but, in the history of mo- 
dern Greece, it will never be forgotten, because the 
cloisters of Megasderion, close to the town, formed 
the cradle of the rising Hellas. Hero the war with 



18 



ON THE WING. 



the unbelievers was proclaimed sacred by the arch- 
bishop, and here the banner with the white cross 
was raised. 

Through the number of its inhabitants, and 
through its commerce, the staple article of which 
is currants, Patras is one of the most important 
towns in Greece. Its circumference increases 
daily. 

As it was Sunday, we met all the citizens in 
pretty dresses walking about. "We met hundreds 
of Greeks, in the white fustanellas, moving along 
the quay at the sound of the bell calling to Mass. 
The number of the boats around us increased 
every minute ; lying in these were the handsome 
sons of the country, — the soldiers in blue, with 
silver-embroidered spencers, narrow red girdles, 
richly folded, ornamented blue spatterdashes and 
reel shoes. The features of the Greeks are noble ; 
their heads rest erect on their proud necks, and 
their fine figures are rendered noticeable by their 
good carriage. 



THE FIRST DAY OJS GKECIAN LAND. 19 

After a messenger had been dispatched from our 
vessel to the Consul, our beloved Austrian banner 
was suddenly displayed from a building near the 
sea ; soon, too, a Greek boat brought us the 
"pratica," and, finally, our own returned with the 
Consul. 

He was a thin, slight Italian, whose high grey 
hat, like himself, might count many years. Locks 
of grey hair hung down from his head, his sharp 
pointed nose nearly touched his chin, the past alone 
could count his teeth, his long poking neck was 
enveloped by a white cravat resembling a pocket- 
handkerchief, and his stiff body was hidden by a 
dark green diplomatic coat, the tails of which 
announced the importance of his office. 

Prom all these symptoms we inferred that he 

a very friendly to Austria, and that he intended 
to entertain the Austrians with all manner of fes- 
tivit We invited him to breakfast, during 

which he related that he had been an officer in the 
Austrian army, and had served under Haynau and 

i 2 



20 ON THE WING. 

Eadetzky; later, had taken part in the war with 
Ibrahim Pasha ; then had travelled to Nubia, and 
lastly had come as Consul to Patras, where he 
already lived eighteen years. 

Engaged in lively conversation, he might have 
been taken for an Italian improvisatore. Latterly 
he had had an opportunity for exhibiting his diplo- 
matic talents. A crowd of Italian and Hungarian 
exiles had collected together at Patras ; they 
treated him at first with some contempt, but 
stormed him afterwards with petitions to his 
government to allow them to return home. Two 
of our gentlemen accompanied him after breakfast 
to his barge. How we envied them, who were so 
soon to tread the famed land, whilst we, on this 
charming day, were obliged to wait till the after- 
noon ! 

The gentlemen promised to return and fetch us 
very soon, also to bring with them some of the 
delicious grapes and figs " cooked " in the Grecian 
sun. Professor G. employed the time by drawing 



THE FIRST DAY ON GRECIAN LAND. 2] 

from the stern of the vessel a view of the gulf 
panorama. Like all he drew, it was most happy. 
The others talked over future plans for journeys to 
come, gloated over the ever-changing spectacle of 
nature, watched the barks coming and going, and 
tilled in our diaries. A small vessel hovered 
round us, containing musicians singing beautiful 
songs. 

Yet, in spite of all this, the time seemed very 
long to us before we caught sight of the Consul's 
boat. We saw by the two gentlemen's cheerful 
faces and lively description how pleased they were 
with their expedition. We were unhappily de- 
tained some time longer on board by a contractor 
whom the Consul brought with him, and with 
whom we signed an agreement relating to our land 
journey to Corinth and Nauplia. 

At half-past one we were at last afloat, and all 
who possessed hands and feet sprang into the boat 
r»f the ' Vulcan.' Joyfully wo steered between 
picturesque merchantmen to shore. An exquisite 



22 ON THE WING. 

delight thrilled through me as I set foot for the 
first time on Grecian soil. It was only a week 
since I had taken leave, laughing and rejoicing, of 
my old friends at Stephensthurm, and now I stood, 
thanks to that wonderful mechanical power, steam, 
the triumph of modern ages, upon that land which, 
above all others, appertains to the past. 

The speed of the passage was like magic. There 
we stood in the open plain of Patras, surrounded 
by objects, descriptions of which I can only give 
by faint shadows. At the entrance of a coffee- 
house sat a group of wealthy Greeks, with dazzling 
fustanellas and ample dark blue trousers, smoking 
their long pipes. Others stood near and played with 
their bead-chains, which resemble a rosary, which 
the restless hands of the Hellenes never leave alone. 

Yonder, a son of the mountains, clothed in a 
white fez, drives a train of horses and asses, whose 
only business it is to bring down the sweet grapes 
from the high hills in baskets and sacks. Here a 
lusty troop of peasants, in Sunday attire, expose 



THE F1KST DAY ON GRECIAN LAND. 2 



the fruit for sale ; there a group of screaming 

children gambolled round a grey-headed priest, 
with a waving beard. Further on, a band of merry 
iiers traversed the crowd, marching in measured 
step. 

These tableaux were framed by the most varied 
buildings. Some of these were remarkable from 
their neat appearance and clean paint. They 
belong to the rich merchants, who take their siestas 
during the hot noontide behind the green " jalou- 
sies." Other buildings, of a more ruinous aspect, 
were of wood. Beneath the houses run galleries, 
supported by wooden pillars; within these were 
erected richly-coloured booths, where, according to 
the customs of the land, suitable objects were sold; 
the most interesting were the old weapons, and 
pictures of saints on wood, some of which I 
/lit. 

The streets are tolerably wide, but up and down 
hill, and offering to civilized foot very uncomfort- 
able stone pavements, upon winch trickling streams 



24 ON THE WING. 

form tiny waterfalls. Here and there one lights on 
a Place, in the midst of which a few trees, with an 
Oriental well, are generally to be fonnd. Bound 
this the women gather, after the fashion of those 
mentioned in the Old Testament, bringing their 
earthen pitchers. Two of these places are called 
" The King's Brace." 

By my desire, we went to a garden on a height. 
We went by rough paths past ruinous huts made of 
rotten timber, bound together by tethers of vine. 
When we had reached it, we were overcome by the 
wondrous view of the gulf. At our feet lay the 
town; the ships appeared as on a mirror, crowned 
with the green mountain- chain of Parnassus. 

We stood upon a terraced plain, under which 
deep caverns, excavated in the olden time in the 
mountain, served as dwelling-places to the jackals. 
A group of magnificent fig-trees grew amongst 
creeping gourds ; grapes lay strewn upon the earth, 
which the sun was drying into those sweet raisins 
of so great importance in the northern cookery. 



THE FIRST DAY ON GRECIAN LAND. 25 



Thus, in various lands grows and flourishes what 
pleases the palate, but when the sweet morsel is 
swallowed by us, we do not think of its history, or 
of its journey to our distant homos. 

The raisins here are not treated with the same 
regard as in our kitchens ; they are thrown in 
heaps, mixed with the dust of the earth, into dirty 
baskets; they are packed on the backs of numerous 
donkeys, who, groaning under their heavy burdens, 
bring them to the roadstead, where they are stamped 
closely into barrels by men's feet, and shipped off 
to the West 

This charming garden is enclosed by a wall, 
whose arched gates we entered, and found ourselves 
standing in a perfect palace of vines, which was 
intersected by beautiful shady paths. Stone columns 
support the trailing creepers. Light wooden stakes 
form the skeleton of a thick roof of vines, through 
which only here and there peeps the blue sky. 
Thousands of grapes hang down from the light 
arches, of a >'v/.<- such as one reads of in fables. 



2G ON THE WING. 

The pillars of the leafy dome stood upon low walls, 
which terminated on one side in a little summer- 
house. The ground of the broad shady place in 
front of this was paved with great slabs of marble, 
and upon one of the surrounding stone benches 
rested two gardeners, stretched in picturesque atti- 
tudes upon soft hides. 

In order to perfect the idyl, a deep, clear well 
stood in the middle, in which the green of the 
leafy roof and the blue of the heavens were re- 
flected. At its edge were perched two white doves, 
drinking the water. On the ground lay a blue 
fruit, which we thought were plums; they were, 
however, the fallen berries of the fabulous great 
bunches of grapes, which we had tasted with such 
enjoyment. 

We now wandered through the lovely leafy part, 
which was crossed by luxuriant orange groves. 
Alas ! the fruit with which these magnificent trees 
was overladen, was not yet ripe. Plants which, 
with us, we find in glass-houses, grew here in pic- 



THE FIRST DAY ON GRECIAN LAND. M 

turesque variety ; also the maimer in which they 

are planted is pleasantly varied. One imagines 
oneself wandering in Paradise. Such a vegetation 

I had never before seen, such fruits never before 
lasted. 

The charm of these lovely gardens was height- 
ened still more by the view of the sea. The Consul 
was highly pleased by our enchantment, and sym- 
pathized with it. He had rarely, during eighteen 
years, shown to such appreciative travellers the 
W aiders of this neighbourhood. Now he was once 
again amongst his equals, — amongst civilized men. 

At length we returned through inhabited streets, 
and paid a visit to the wife of the Consul in the 
Austrian consulate. She is a very polite, elegant 
Venetian lady of middle age, and speaks good 
French. They brought to us, in her rather untidy 
drawing-room, some girdles, embroidered with 
silver and gold, in which the people carry their 
weapons, and oik; of which I wished to buy. 

the lady of the house had invited u 



28 ON THE WING. 

the evening, we took the Consul in a boat belong- 
ing to the ' Vulcan,' to dine with us in the ship. 
We were packed like herrings in our great poop 
cabin, which the heat rendered still more unplea- 
sant. 

After dinner the good old gentleman took us to 
a concert, which was to be conducted by the band 
of an irregular battalion of Grecian infantry, on 
the front place of the above-mentioned gardens, 
and where the whole population of the town was 
to be assembled in rich costumes. 

We already distinguished from the ship the 
white fustanella, and heard the sounds charming 
us thitherwards. The siesta was over. Beautiful 
women, with long rich hair and pretty dresses, 
showed themselves as we passed along on the 
balconies. 

In the streets also we encountered the most 
charming Patras ladies, leaning on the arms of im- 
portant fine-looking men, who were unfortunately 
already returning home. We stepped quickly for- 



THE FIESTI PAY OM GRECIAN LAND. 29 

wards, and found a tolerably largo circle still 
gathered round the band, which just then was not 
playing, and which presented a very shabby appear- 
ance. This sight of the people, amongst whom no 
division of classes is to be found, was interesting. 
They are all brothers of one stock, who having lan- 
guished under the same yoke formerly, have now 
shaken it off together. The sympathy in joy and 
sorrow is the cause of their similitude. 

Everywhere, when one nation is subjugated by 
another, this likeness amongst the oppressed is to 
bo found, at least in the unanimity of their senti- 
ments regarding the oppressor. All strive after 
the same object, viz. liberty, and in the struggle 
forgot their own individuality. Those families 
whose fathers have fought with peculiar distinction 
in the war of freedom alone take a higher rank. 

Alter our arrival the band played one more 
piocc, and then everybody dispersed. The sun 
had disappeared behind the highest summit of Eu- 
melia. The twilight lasted scarcely a quarter <>t' 



30 ON THE WING. 

an hour ; we went, therefore, straight to the Con- 
sul's house, before the darkness should set in. 
His wife received us, surrounded by her children. 
We entertained ourselves as well as we could, and 
somewhat later the music master of the house ar- 
rived, in a national dress, with his charming young 
wife. 

The Consul's lady had probably invited her in 
order to show us one of the best specimens of the 
lovely daughters of Greece. 

This beautiful being, seated beside me, spoke 
little, and only in her own language. Her hus- s 
band played a few of our oldest melodies with a 
good deal of execution. Later, the eleven-year- 
old young lady of the house fired off a much prac- 
tised little piece. I have always had a horror of 
the productions of precocious children, especially 
when their mothers are present, and one is obliged 
to put on a pleased expression. 

By-and-by, the room filled with all the people 
of rank in the town, and, amongst them, the French 



T1IK FIRST DAY OX GRECIAN LAND. 31 

Consul, who, from his appearance, might have 
been taken for a porter. We drank tea, that bond 
of union in all society of the nineteenth century, 
and beside this, a fearful national drink, made out 
of bruised gourds, was handed round. The host 
offered long pipes to the gentlemen, whom, at the 
conclusion, we induced, after many importunities, 
to lead the ladies and children through a national 
dance, which appeared very dull and uniform. 
We thanked our hosts heartily, and returned by 
the glorious starlight to the i Vulcan. 5 



32 



CHAPTEE III. 

A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 

The contract with the man who was to manage our 
journey through Hellas, was concluded. Our ship 
was to rejoin us at Nauplia, and we commenced our 
land journey on a most glorious morning. 

Our household, with the exception of one man, 
we left on board. Our luggage we also reduced to 
the barest necessaries. We had, on account of the 
fatigues of the way, dressed ourselves in most 
singular costumes, and when we assembled to get 
into the boat, a looker-on might have fancied we 
were a band of strolling actors just setting out on 
their travels. Some had on tall boots, others tied 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREEOi:. 33 

in their blouses with girdles, and were armed with 
clubs, daggers, and guns against robbers, and with 
umbrellas against the sun. 

The author of this diary drew forth a Chinese 
parasol, made of extraordinarily light stuff, which, 
in spite of the ridicule of his companions, served 
him in good stead. In case of bad weather, we 
had already procured in Trieste some peculiar 
Istrian "marinaros" of brown leather, and provided 
with capes. 

The horses awaited us before the Consul's house, 
who received us on the steps in front in his morn- 
ing neglige. Only a few of the beasts and their 
bridles would bear inspection. The poor nags 
were in a frightful state of emaciation, and their 
harness was a conglomeration of chains, ropes, and 
bits of leather. 

The contractor, whom we will call Demctry, was 
busily employed in dividing the beasts among the 
riders, and at the same time praised their qualities 
inordinately, in which the Consul, whoso eques* 

D 



34 ON THE WING. 

trian comprehension appeared to be very weak, 
supported him zealously. The packhorses were 
laden so heavily with stores and provisions that 
they almost disappeared from our sight. 

At a quarter to seven the long procession set 
out, escorted for safety by the gens (Parmes of the 
town of Patras. At first, we passed through the 
fruitful vine- covered hills which rose behind the 
town, and over slight ascents; the people were 
everywhere busy with the grape-harvest. Along 
the road leafy huts were erected, in order to pro- 
tect the fruit. I wondered to find groups of reeds 
of unusual growth on the heights between grapes, 
oranges, and pomegranates. 

The view of the blue gulf and the mountains of 
Eumelia was charming ; a magical repose lay upon 
the landscape, and everything glistened in the 
fresh morning air. The stony road, intersected by 
small streams and bushes, descended by-and-by, 
and led through the dried-up bed of a broad tor- 
rent, in which, to our astonishment, vegetation was 
most luxurious. 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 35 



The oleanders grow in groat dark clumps, out of 
which peeped the lovely rose-coloured blossoms; 
and the modest myrtle, with its dark grey foliage, 
formed bushes of such size and luxuriance in this 
ly soil, that those who have only seen it in pots 
w<>uld scarcely recognize it. Our road lay parallel 
with the seashore, and, for the last time, the 
suburbs of Patras were seen in the morning light. 

On the Gulf of Lepanto — filmed for its sea-fight, 
— we saw the town of the same name. It is 
hemmed in between high mountains and the sea. 
The fort of Eion lies before it on a small promon- 
tory, and on the side nearest to us rose the fortress 
of Antirion from amidst the waters. Both these 
fortifications have Greek garrisons. The importance 
of the victory of Don Juan is here intuitively per- 
rd. We could understand the impossibility of 
the Turkish fleet finding an outlet when once it 
had crossed this narrow line of sea. Once more 
Lepanto played an important part in the strife for 
liberty. Now it i- scarcely of any significance. 

i) 2 



36 ON THE WING. 

One beautiful picture after another disclosed it- 
self before our eyes, for the waves of sea- foam 
meeting the abundant vegetation offers something 
new to the traveller, and fresh charms are never 
wanting; the nearer we approach to the sea, the 
more these increased. 

After a three hours' ride, however, in spite of our 
enthusiasm and hilarity, our limbs felt tired, our 
stomachs empty, and our powers of comprehension 
weakened. We were very glad when Demetry 
showed us a spot of green ground at the edge of a 
little creek, as the "Khan" where we were to get 
our luncheon. 

"When we arrived before the hut, our horses were 
consigned to the servants, and we encamped in the 
shade of the building. The marinaros took the 
place of cushions, and a tablecloth was spread on 
the turf. Flasks and plates were taken out of the 
bags, and, after the old custom, we made a hearty 
nusal lying down, and then rested an hour by the 
fresh seashore. A few of the gentlemen took their 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGB GREECE. 37 

-la. My brother, Dr. F., and I resolved to take 
a little walk in the neighbourhood. 

Close to the houses the vegetable world was 
refreshed by wide, pond-like streams, and near the 
sea grew impenetrable thickets. Where the way 
waa not blocked up by the thick foliage and 
brandies, the path was rendered difficult by the 
most beautiful creepers, whose quaint chains we 
broke through with much labour. 

Our hope was that we might catch tortoises, of 
which we had picked up some on the way, but no 
such good fortune befell us. We remarked a large 
dead plane-tree, on which, instead of leaves, there 
was a forest of wild vine ; the elegant tendrils 
drooped around us like a green waterfall, — the most 
practised gardener could not have arranged such 
beautiful wreaths. I would gladly have sketched 
this full, fresh life surrounding the dead limbs, if I 
had had time Wo tasted the fruit of the wild 
vine and found that it equalled our garden grapos 
in sweetness. When wo came back to the shore, 



38 



ON THE WING. 



Professor G. busied himself with his usual talent in 
drawing the bay with its surroundings. The Ke- 
corder K. sat in the shade of an olive-tree, and wrote 
a poem. The rest slept away the pleasant hours, — 
a few, however, having seated themselves on the 
sands. 

"We went to bear them company ; the depths of 
the ocean always exercise a mysterious charm upon 
me. Powerfully and irresistibly the bottomless 
flood attracts me, and I rejoice in all that belongs 
to it. Even the little mussels that were turning 
over in the sand might have been supposed to be 
gold pieces, so diligently did I pick them up. 
Yet soon the signal for departure was given, and, 
according to our corpulency, we jumped, or we 
crept, into our saddles. 

New objects continued to appear and disappear ; 
bay followed upon bay; now we passed over the 
fine sand of the sea, then through bushes and pic- 
turesque hollow ways, or over lightly swelling 
heights. 



A LAND JOUBNET THROUGH GREECE. 39 

The country may be called wild and unculti- 
vated, luit there is a great charm in this rank, 
luxuriant nature. Where there are great yellow 
patches of bare earth, there are also pine-trees, with 
their needle-like crowns, which are greener than 
the freshest leaves ; tall plantains, with their broad 
branches, creepers and vines embracing their 
trunks, and lovely myrtle mixed with the poetic 
laurel. These green resting-places for the eye arc 
a hundred times more beautiful than if the cold 
hand of the utilitarian had drawn his straight fur- 
rows through a landscape in which such deep 
I reigns, which labour has not overturned ; 

ship disturbs the mirror of the deep blue sea; 
no church-tower, no ruins distract the eye from the 
glowing mountains. 

He who complains of the monotony of these 
countries has not experienced their charm, and I 
can only pity the man whose heart docs not expand 
with delight when he sips the air of old Hellas. 

The Grecian sun had soon done its work, and. 



40 ON THE WING. 

after a second three hours' ride, we longed for 
refreshment. Again we approached a " Khan," 
which was thickly surrounded by great olive-trees. 
A few vineyards were to be found in the neigh- 
bourhood, and we expressed our wish to the guides 
to refresh ourselves with the Grecian grapes. We 
soon procured a quantity of them, and a splendid 
melon. 

On the way we had already met groups of two 
or three persons riding upon asses, carrying dried 
grapes in leathern bags to the markets of the 
larger towns. These riders have a highly pic- 
turesque appearance ; the manner in which they 
are dressed, their peculiar seat upon the animal, 
their noble bearing, gave us an exalted opinion of 
the beauty of the Greeks. We found several of 
these men in the "Khan;" most of them were 
strongly armed, which heightened their natural 
dignity. 

When they saw Dr. F. taking snuff, they 
begged him for a pinch, and thanked him grace- 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 41 

fully for it. They let us examine their clothes 
without embarrassment, preserving throughout 
their proud, self-reliant bearing. 

In the interior of the "Khan" was a booth-like 
room, in which were offered necessary articles in 
that land. Glasses, pots, and bowls ; amongst 
them were liquors of a rather uninviting smell, so we 
spent the rest of our repose in the open air. As 
we rude on, it appeared that my horse was of 
tolerable speed, which was not the case with all. 
The Recorder K. asserted that his was vicious 
and kicked. The poor gentleman had never ridden 
before, and was now obliged to make his first essay 
for twelve hours in a bad saddle ! 

Two gem cVarmes led our quaint procession ; 
they were a mixture of Bavarian and Greek, — 
their heads belonged to their Fatherland, and their 
clothes, or uniforms, were Greek. Behind them 
rode Count C, in imperturbable calm, smoking 
and taking in the new impressions dumbly. Then 
followed Prince J. and Baron I\ . ; the first 



42 ON THE WING. 

longed in vain for the comfortable-looking villas, 
with their beautiful inhabitants, which we passed ; 
the latter broke in poor Demetry's horse like a 
riding-master. 

Dr. F, went on his way with slow quietude, 
and amused us with interesting anecdotes, which 
he knew how to tell very well. Occasionally he 
refreshed himself with a pinch of snuff. My bro- 
ther generally rode next to him, and protected 
himself from the heat of the sun by a great um- 
brella. Now came G., perched between the 
leathern bulwarks of his Turkish saddle. In the 
ascents and descents compassionate souls gave him 
help, for he, too, was unaccustomed to riding, 
though he carried himself very well for a novice. 

I pranced upon my fiery, small grey horse from 
one to the other ; my Chinese parasol, like a banner 
of victory, in my hand, and amused myself with 
the merry jokes of the company. As we once 
more rode by the seaside, we were suddenly over- 
taken by a passing torrent of rain, and were ob- 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 48 

liged to take Bhelter in a miserable shepherd's hut. 
The rain cooled and purified the air, and the even- 
ing by the shore was all the more delightful, whilst 
in Enmelia, black clouds hung over Parnassus. 

( )n approaching a small town where we were to 
take up our quarters for the night, we found the 
surrounding country very wet ; we had to wade 
through several brooks, in the middle of which 
oleanders bloomed. One of the horses of the lead- 
ing gens d* mines began to prance in passing a thick 
bush of them. The Prince's horse, next to whom I 
rode, was also frightened, but we passed by in 
ty. The Prince, however, begged me to watch 
how it fared with the rest as they passed this bug- 
boar, so, looking round, I beheld our poor Eccorder 
upon the neck of his brown nag, leading a forlorn 
kind of dance, which ended in his lying helplessly 
on the gr 

It turned out that the cause of this alarm was a 
donkey covered with reeds, and the horses had all 
shied al the moving mas>. I sprang i<» my dear 



44 ON THE WING. 

Recorder, who, happily, was uninjured,' and was 
soon in his saddle again, laughing oyer his disaster. 

A little before sunset we were shown our night 
quarters, viz. the little town of Yostizza. The 
shores of this gulf are particularly beautiful, owing 
to the heights which spring out of the sea, hiding 
the past and the coming bay. Yostizza lies upon 
just such a pretty ascent. My brother and I rode 
on now with Prince J. straight to our point. "We 
had to pass the bed of a broad river, then up a 
steep hill, which was washed out like a sandbank. 

The sea appears to have once reached nearly 
thirty fathoms higher than it does now. Be- 
tween this bank and the sea stretches a pleasant 
green plain, covered with vineyards ; a few houses 
run out into the sea; in the midst rises a large 
plane-tree, which is said to date from the time of 
Pythagoras. 

We rode in at the upper side of the town. The 
cook of Demetry, who had hastened on before, 
guided us to the house where we were to spend the 



A LAND JOURNEY. THROUGH GREECE. 45 

night. It had the appearance of an inn. On the 
ground floor was a largo room, which, instead of a 
window, had an opening upon the street, and which 
served as kitchen, cellar, storeroom, and magazine. 
Our food was already prepared, but covered with 
thousands and thousands of flies, which was not 
agreeable. Besides the flies, several curious towns- 
people gathered together, whose clatter, added to 
the buzz of the insects, made a most confusing 
concert. 

Up a tumble-down wooden staircase we mounted 
to the upper story, which contained two so-called 

ins. in which we could not complain of the new 
fashion of the furniture. Four naked walls, not to 
be called white, so covered were they with dirt ; 
our noses, too, could have well dispensed with the 
Grecian atmosphere of the room. 

This was not a comforting prospect ; but after a 
ride of twelve hours, I thought we could make our- 
selves tolerably comfortable with straw and our 
marinar 



46 ON THE WING. 

The Prince, however, asserted that this station 
was not conformahle with the contract which we 
had concluded with Demetry, and that it was be- 
neath our rank to sleep in snch quarters. I repre- 
sented that the simplest plan would be to camp out 
in the open ; but the Prince continued to insist 
upon a serious conversation with Demetry, and I 
rested myself meanwhile upon the sill of the open- 
ing in the lower room and watched the movements 
of the Hellenes. Several trains of laden asses, 
horses, and mules went by with slow steps, for as 
there are few carriages in Greece, except at Athens, 
these trains are seen in every street. 

Our appearance soon attracted several of the re- 
spectable people of the town. Since the English 
blockade, strangers are a rare spectacle to Grecian 
eyes. I must, however, confess that the inhabitants 
are more polite than in our more civilized lands. 
If you nod at them kindly, they thank you imme- 
diately with the greeting of the country, laying 
their hand on their heart and forehead. 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 17 

After some time, Demetry and those who had re- 
mained behind came up, and lie was assailed by 
everybody with requests for a better night's lodg- 
ing ; instead of making excuses, he spoke to a few 
well-dressed citizens near, and begged us to follow 
him. lie led us into the higher part of the town, 
and introduced us, with great archness, into the 
handsome and commodious house of a royal officer, 
who must have been not a little surprised to see 
himself suddenly invaded by so large a company. 
He, however, proffered us Oriental hospitality in 
the fullest measure. We were soon settled in two 
rooms, partly furnished, which were cleaned for 
us, <>no on the second floor. The master of the 
house was himself present in order to provide for 
our necessities at the shortest notice, and expressed 
himself most cordially towards us in broken French. 

From the larger room there led a frail, almost 
dangerous balcony, with a most magnificent view 
of the opposite bay. It was a Southern night in its 
fullest beauty, — the stars sparkled like diamonds, 



48 ON THE WING. 

and the moon like a ship sailed quietly in the blue 
ether. The town, with its lovely gardens, lay in 
silent evening rest ; the sea shimmered in the re- 
flection of the moon ; nature in this solemnized mo- 
ment rested from its work. 

An inward relaxation came over me after the 
overpowering heat of the past day, and a refreshing 
little breeze blew from the sea over the sleeping 
country ; meanwhile the supper and dinner in one 
was laid out, and we addressed ourselves courage- 
ously to it in spite of the swarms of flies. 

The master of the house fetched the best wine he 
possessed, out of his cellar, and looked on with 
anxiety when we raised our glasses to our lips in 
order to taste it. The presence of our amiable host 
alone deterred us from dashing them down again. 
It was a sweetly-sour drink, which, from the goat- 
skin bottle it was kept in, had become truly horri- 
ble. Enthusiastic as I generally was over Hellas, 
I never got on well with its wine. 

A merry conversation enlivened our meal, but at 



A LAND JOTJRNEI THROUGH GREECE. 40 

length out bodies demanded their rights, and we 
retired to rest. We found only one bed and two 

divans prepared for us, a part of the compan}^ there- 
fore accommodated themselves upon the floor. To- 
wards five o'clock avo were awoke by the sound of 
the reveillie, we hastily swallowed our breakfasts 
and were then conducted to a cellar where lay two 
very beautiful antique statues. 

Art in Yostizza did not appear much advanced, 
since they had left these rare marble forms lying 
amongst rubbish in the deepest obscurity. One 
was a female figure, probably a Ceres, with excel- 
lent draperies, but unfortunately the head was 
wanting ; the other was the statue of a slender 
youth whose limbs showed a beautiful regularity. 
A fine head of a man, with noble features, lay near 
the other two. The marble was transparent, like 
that which, so wo are told, was used in Penthe- 
licon. 

This neglect of such fine works of art proves, 
that if the modern Greeks have inherited the 

i; 



50 ON THE WING. 

courage, wit, and cunning of their ancestors, the 
creative genius of these latter exists no more. The 
flower of that art is dead, and we scarcely find even 
a trace of its roots, so that we dare not hope for a 
fresh growth. "When we returned to our lodgings, 
we found our horses already before them. "We 
thanked our friendly host and resumed our journey. 
We passed through several streets in picturesque 
confusion, like those of Patras. At half-past six 
o'clock we were outside the town. The sun had 
risen splendidly over the mountains of Corinth, 
announcing a very hot day. At the further extre- 
mity of the plain we saw the first palm-tree rising 
majestically thirty feet high over a desert church- 
yard. The emblem of peace had sprung from the 
bodies, and pointed its slender shafts upwards to 
direct the living to their future. The lower part 
of the ancient leaves formed the scaly rind of the 
trunk, which each year puts on a fresh crown, con- 
sisting in a green basket-like bush growing on the 
highest point of the tree. 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 51 

From the town the road loads slowly downwards 
in a broad vineyard-covered plain, stretching on to 
the mountains. It was traversed by several dried 
river-beds, filled with rich oleander bushes, which 
wandered into the sea. The vineyards were full of 
life, and we met many trains of rich and poor in 
the most variegated dresses, riding on mules or 
s. They were either going from or retiring to 
the leafy huts with the consecrated grape-crop. 

These vine-dressers' huts offered an Oriental 
picture. Several women, with disordered black 
hair, cooked the frugal meal inside, and without 
stood the master in all his manly beauty, artistic 
dress, and rich weapons. The children crawled 
among the great melon heaps. This fruit grows 
to a perfect sweetness and delicacy between the 
vines, and I first learnt to know its excellence here. 
Close by stood groups of the beasts of burden, 
laden with goat-skin bottles and baskets for carry- 
ing the pressed must and the full grapes. The 
vines are not, as among us, trained up sticks. 



52 ON THE WING. 

They either form shady roofs, supported by light 
poles, or they throw their green chains from tree 
to tree ; they also trail upon the ground, and 
weave a fresh green network oyer the plain. 

This verdured plain is only as long as the town. 
As soon as it is ended, the mountains again ap- 
proach the seashore, so that the road winds at times 
along dizzy rocks. We were astonished to see how 
clever the horses were in climbing, cat-like, over 
the steepest ascents. Often the path ran danger- 
ously near the edge of the rock, whose base was 
laved by the blue waves, and whose toppling crags 
overshadowed us in an alarming manner. Occa- 
sionally, instead of the rocks, we saw sand-cones, 
which have been washed into the oddest shapes by 
the rippling water. 

It amused me to watch the playful movements 
of the waves as they climbed the heights, now 
caressingly, now boisterously, declaring a continual 
war against the shore. The stones seem frequently 
cleft by the water. The road became so steep that 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. •>•> 

we were obliged to dismount and lead our horses 
after us. The necessity for this, however, soon 
ceased, and the burning air was cooled by rain. 

On the high walls of rock grew pines, laurels, 
and the evergreen-oak. These oaks were only the 
size of bushes, and were covered with small prickly 
Leaves, but the fruit surpasses greatly that of our 
oaks. In the gardens of Vienna this tree has not 
been introduced ; but I had the pleasure of seeing 
several shoots, which I took with me, take root at 
home. The boughs, bending gracefully over the 
road, were covered with creepers, of which I col- 
lected as many seeds as I could, and put them into 
my travelling bag, to plant, if possible, in my 
garden. 

After we had passed one or two more bays, the 
rocks retreated suddenly further from the sea, and 
we found ourselves on a level between two creeks 
covered with vines and olive-trees. We also passed 
by the finest tig-tree I had seen yet. It stood in 
tlir midst of a vineyard; the branches were laden 



54 ON THE WING. 

with baskets, full of the most beautiful fruit. Our 
guides threw themselves upon the tree and se- 
lected some of the finest figs and grapes, which 
were a real refreshment to us poor, tired, and heated 
wanderers, only the quantity was greater than we 
could carry. There is nothing in the world sweeter 
or more delicious than Grecian fruit, and parti- 
cularly the honey -like fig. The mountains ended 
abruptly by a river, rather dangerous for the rider. 
An old bridge led over it, but as one of the arches 
was wanting, we were obliged to go through the 
water. It flowed on for some time through a beau- 
tiful valley. A chirp of insects accompanied us 
the whole way ; the noise often becoming so loud 
and shrill that we took it for a bird, and looked to 
see if it were a peculiar kind of quail. When, how- 
ever, we traced the sound to one particular olive- 
tree, and could not discover any bird, we felt sure 
that the sound was that of a cricket. We had 
quenched our overpowering thirst with the figs and 
grapes, but as we also experienced hunger, we 



v LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 00 

were glad to hear from Demetry that a small house 
stood on the shore of the hay before us, hi which 
we might take our breakfast. It was built oil the 
shifting sand, a few steps from the sea, whose cool- 
ing breezes did us much good, for the heat had be- 
come extraordinary. The roof of the " khan " was 
pierced with holes, like the hut of a beggar ; the 
remainder of the building was just like the ruins 
we have already described. Before the miserable 
walls of the upper story was a balcony, under 
which we took our repast of eggs, cakes, and cold 
meat ; what was wanting in the meal was supplied 
by good humour, though a few voices were raised, 
by these who had hoped for more comforts on the 
journey. Dr. F. complained, like a genuine com- 
fortable Viennese, over the eating and drinking. 
Professor G. and I combated him diligently as sin- 

re enthusiastic travellers and admirers of Ilellas. 

Meanwhile our guides quarrelled and screamed, 
which gave us the opportunity of learning to 
know the sound of the native tongue, and in- 



50 ON THE WING. 

spired me so much that I swung myself upon the 
tottering balcony, and thundered forth to our com- 
pany in a language resembling the Grecian tongue, 
which greatly increased our merriment, and im- 
mediately attracted the attention of the Greeks. 
The modern Greek sounds very differently when 
used by the common people from what it does 
in the mouth of the better class ; it then resembles 
more the ancient Greek, and they always try to 
bring in classical words to the exclusion of the 
Sclavonic element. 

After a short rest we again set off. I, with 
Professor G., led the troop ; and we passed a pleasant 
afternoon in quiet, thoughtful conversation. We 
spoke principally of the magical effects of colouring 
in this country ; he expressed himself as a genuine 
artist, and I enjoyed his sound reflective judgments. 
During the conversation we continued to ride 
through the fine sand of the shore, which height- 
ened the charm of his discourse. The deep blue, 
and clear green surface of the undulating water, 



A LAND JOURNEY THR0TJGB GREECE. 01 

captivated us irresistibly, and illustrated what he 
said. We rode delightedly into the beating waves, 
and felt the charm which lies in contemplating 
these dancing waters and their innermost life. 
The stronger ones suppressed and rolled over the 
weaker ones, and their noble strength and power 
melted at last softly and beautifully upon the 
bright clean sand, in a light white rushing 
foam. 

Suddenly, then, the mystic flood draws back, and 
only the little hardy outrunners trickle on the sand. 
Scarcely does one think oneself on dry land when 
a still more powerful wave dashes quickly up, and, 
like a troop of bridleless horses, runs still further 
than the former into the beach, going off again in 
empty foam, like a restless soul, — the distress of a 
bold, discontented mind, which melts away like the 
wave into the sand. 

There was a wild pleasure in leading our frightened 
horses into the tossing clement, and letting the 
waves dash against their hoofs. The beasts w 



58 ON THE WING. 

often driven back by their power, but our threats 
brought them back again, and we, with the whole 
party, enjoyed this play in the waters. 

One minute the path wound upwards, and new 
pictures were spread before us ; these were repeated 
where the indented heights broke the uniformity of 
the shore. The figures of our fellow travellers, 
seen first on the yellow patches of sand and stones, 
and then slowly climbing the heights, like sil- 
houettes in the blue air, and then suddenly dis- 
appearing behind a rock, added to the interest, — the 
fantastic figures forming a contrast to the majestic 
solemnity of nature. 

Upon one of the hills we came upon the ruins of 
a fortress, which had been destroyed through the 
fury of the Turks. In poor Hellas frequent traces 
are to be found of how fearfully the hand of the 
Moslem has been laid on the Christian lands, and 
how heavy their revenge on the combatants has 
been. The wounds of the country will bleed some 
time longer, and it will require a firm hand to 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 59 

bring it to such a point as will enable it to make 
use of the hardly won victory. 

Down from these rocks wc rode on through the 
usual vegetation to the shore, which we did not 
quit again until, at five o'clock, we came to the little 
place of Sakoly, destined to be our station for the 
night. It also is built on the sands, and has rather 
a Turkish than a Grecian appearance. The chimney- 
pots glittered like minarets; except for these 
ornaments, everything in this village is poor and 
at the lowest degree of culture. 

We were again shown a "khan," in which we 
found a small room with two wooden bedsteads. 
Until the meal was ready we went to walk upon 
the beach ; but the coolness of the evening, con- 
trasted with the previous heat of the day, was so 
great that we dared not stay long to enjoy the ever- 
increasing freshness. The sun had gone to rest 
gloriously, and with the dangerous change of tem- 
perature, usual in Greece, came the night. Before 
the meal I wrote my diary. The uncomfortable 



60 ON THE WING. 

couch and the insects prevented our going to sleep 
till late; we were packed together like herrings, 
which gave rise to many squabbles and many 
jokes. 

I had not slept many hours when the Eecorder K. 
woke me, because he could not sleep himself, and 
was restless in consequence. Naturally, we let the 
others have no more quiet. Our breakfasts were 
brought to us, and some time before sunrise we 
left our night's lodging. I was so unwell that it 
was only out of consideration for the rest of the 
company that I forced myself to ride. I awaited 
the warm rays of the sun with anxious longing. 

The bare summits of the mountain tops kindled 
in the glow. Towards Corinth, the purple band of 
the dawn became clearer and warmer, until at 
length, at the moment the sun appeared, it was 
transformed into a sea of golden rays. The sea 
lent a golden-tinted fringe of foam to the shore, the 
vine-covered mountains gleamed in light green ver- 
dure, and the pine-trees swung to and fro in the 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 61 

fresh air. My indisposition continued to increase, 

and an hour after sunrise I was obliged to lie down 
in the open air. Dear Dr. F. covered me with 
cloaks and marinaros, and did me so much good, 
that after a little while, the caravan was able to 
start once more. 

We followed the gulf for some time, often 
hindered by the numerous bushes. Wc frequently 
passed houses, which were, however, mostly de- 
serted. Several Scriptural-like avcIIs stood near the 
sea. By the " khan," where we were to breakfast, 
d a crowd of mules laden with grapes. My 
companions instantly seized on these, but I was so 
tired with riding that I went on on foot. 

Towards noon we reached Sizia, a small place by 
the -here, where Demetry had procured us quite a 
neat, gaily-painted, and well-arranged house for this 
neighbourhood. A terrace looked upon the sea. 
The room appeared a mixture of Oriental taste and 
European civilization. It contained several divans, 
gold-framed mirrors, Etruscan vases and clocks. 



G2 ON THE WING. 

But that which we thought still more charming, 
was the beautiful and amiable cousin of our young 
host. She must have had some expectation of our 
arrival, for her fez, set so neatly on her brown hair, 
and the material of her fur-trimmed dress, were too 
magnificent for every-day use. 

She appeared to be pleased at our admiring her 
beautiful costume. We went into the drawing- 
room, and could there observe the arrangement of 
a well-to-do Grecian house. In the East every- 
thing is done for show and magnificence, so they 
give us gold- embroidered towels; but there is 
wanting, amidst this extravagant luxury, most of 
the common comforts of life. In almost every 
Grecian room hang, in simple wooden frames, the 
portraits of the King and Queen, the soldier-heroes 
of liberty, and also scenes from the wars against 
the Turks. The pictures, however, were not 
worthy of the men or their deeds, and showed but 
a small amount of artistic talent. 

After a short rest we continued our road to 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 63 

Corinth along the coast, and towards evening the 

proud Aero-Corinth, with the town, rose before us 
on the extremest point of the gulf. The nearer 
the sea comes to the shore, the darker becomes its 
blue and the calmer its surface. The manner of 
building the houses, like the manner and appear- 
ance of the men, changes in this broad plain. 
Complexion and features take a gipsy-like cast, 
and the dress is light and disorderly. We rode on 
for hours without appearing to get nearer the 
town. 

At sunset Aero-Corinth, and some of the higher 
summits, glowed in inexpressible beauty; other 
mountains were coloured orange and violet, and the 
most distant were veiled in that mystic black-blue 
which excites the imagination with a vague long- 
ing. The sea, too, had a deeper colouring than I 
ever saw elsewhere. We rode quietly and admir- 
ingly through all this magnificent colouring, be- 
neath which the yellow earth peeped forth in 
em vera] plaa 3. 



64 ON THE WING. 

Below Corinth, the topmost boughs of the olive- 
trees shone for the last time in the rosy glow ; the 
sun sank behind the mountains of Patras, and 
the soft air of twilight fell over the surrounding 
country. While we continually fancied we were 
close to Corinth, it fled before us, like a deceptive 
mirage ; we rode and rode, and could not reach it. 
The air upon the plain after sunset was disagree- 
able, and made us feel really uncomfortable. 
However, just as night overtook us, we reached our 
goal. Fearful, — yes, horrible, — appeared the ruins 
and subterranean vaults upon the pale desert earth. 
We rode amidst a sea of stones, but out of the 
black depths a poisonous air seemed to issue. A 
few solitary figures crept from fragment to frag- 
ment, like evil spirits. It was a picture of de- 
struction, and the curse. We fancied ourselves in 
the city of the dead. 

At length we came to a somewhat more civilized 
part of the town, where life appeared to reign once 
more. We stopped in a small place, before a 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. G5 

brilliantly-lighted, nice-looking house, that shone 
upon us like a star out of the darkness. It be- 

longed to the family X., to whom our host had 
announced us without our knowledge. Wo did not 

know what to do in our now situation, until, to our 
delight, we heard Gorman voices ; at the same 
moment a great figure came towards us out of the 
obscurity, and invited us, in the German tongue, to 
sit down and pass the night in the family N.'s 
house. 

We followed this voice crying in the wilderness, 
which at that moment really seemed to us like that 
of a prophet, and stepped through the door of the 
dwelling. 

Here stood men and women, in the national 
nine, evidently apprized of our arrival. The 
German was a physician, who had lived here many 
years. lie led us to a clean, prettily-furnished 
room on the first floor, and introduced us to the 
daughter of the house. 

Eulalia, as this fair one was railed, appeared in a 

F 



66 ON THE WING. 

gorgeous costume that heightened her beauty, and 
Helen herself, could she have reappeared, might not 
have scorned the beauty of the Grecian damsel. 
She was a brilliant meteor in her first youth. Her 
tall, slender figure, of regular proportions, showed 
the noble form of Southern development. Her 
features were those of an antique cameo. Upon 
the ivory skin were pencilled with proud decision 
her dark brows, over her almond-shaped eyes. Her 
glorious hair fell back in waves off her dazzling 
temples, and upon her head was placed the dark fez, 
with its long tassel, which dangled on her shoulder. 
Unfortunately, she only spoke Greek, and Dr. H. 
was obliged to act as interpreter. 

Her father is Minister of the Interior in Athens, 
and she will soon go there to marry a doctor. 
Amongst her suite were several companions, and a 
brother of her father, who, a few months after 
our visit, was killed in a party combat with the 
peasants. After we were once more alone, we 
seated ourselves, tolerably tired by our journey, 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 61 

round the tea-table. The recorder, K., was unwell. 



> -"*•> 



Dr. II., whom we had invited to dine with us, 
rewarded our civility with long, interesting anec- 
dotes on the state of Greece. These stories did 
not give a good account of the natives; but in this 
lie only practised retaliation, for the hatred of the 
Greeks to foreigners is so great that they have 
coined a word expressly to convey this meaning. 
Only for physicians have they any respect, because 
they expect help from them against the dreadful 
lovers which raged but now so fiercely in Corinth. 

Bathing in the sea and the air during the twi- 
light, is dangerous. Owing to the temperance of 
the inhabitants and the otherwise good climate, 
other evils are rare. More dangerous than the 
fever are the robbers. According to Dr. H.'s ac- 
count, the greater proportion of the people are of 
this craft, and its followers are said to have raised 
themselves to court dignities. 

AjS all men who fought in the wars of freedom 
(called Palikaren, heroes) have the right to bear 

V 1 



G8 ON THE WING. 

arms, robbery becomes especially easy to them. 
Often, in the middle of the town, a house is at- 
tacked; our night's lodgings in Yostizza were 
thus once endangered for a whole night. Tra- 
vellers do well to be accompanied by a sufficient 
number of gens d'armes. If such dangerous men 
are caught, it may happen that they rise after a 
short imprisonment to honour and distinction, for 
patronage and bribery are still greater here than in 
civilized countries ; thus the highest in the land are 
sometimes in doubtful company. 

Party quarrels also divide and destroy the coun- 
try to a sad extent. The principal strife is between 
certain families who, having been distinguished in 
the war for freedom, form a succedaneum for our 
aristocracy. In every town one of these has the 
upper hand, whilst the rest do all in their power to 
dislodge them. 

In Corinth it was our friendly hosts, the N.'s, 
who led the city, and exercised a kind of feudal 
power. This family finds its support in the favour 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 69 

of the King. The father of Eulalia, as I have 
already said, is Minister of War ; another brother 
is Pilikar and aide-de-camp of his Majesty. 

Should the royal favour be withdrawn from them, 
they are, according to Dr. H.'s assertions, no longer 
safe for an hour in their four walls. Even if the 
good doctor's account was a little exaggerated, it 
was very interesting, for it was the first time we 
had listened to a free conversation on the country 
and its customs. When he began to describe the 
horrors of the fever, our Recorder vanished suddenly, 
and, after we had finished supper, we found him in 

* ate of great emotion. He complained of dread- 
ful pains in his knees, and in reality looked feverish. 
Inwardly he quite believed he was a victim to the 
fearful epidemic, and was very much alarmed, but 
w<»uld not hear of consulting the physician. We 
forced some cold bandages upon him, and only 
retired to rest when he was a little re-established. 

The beds were broad and soft, and the arrange- 
ments luxurious for the country. We saw thai we 



70 



ON THE WING. 



were sub umbra alarum in the house of a man whom 
" the King delighteth to honour." After our great 
fatigue we slept excellently; but in spite of the 
soft pillows and gold- embroidered linen, there were 
many traces in the morning of a savage army of 
dwarfs on our mottled bodies ! Magnificence and 
dom next door to one another ! 

Early in the morning the friendly H. appeared 
with our horses, to conduct us, after a hearty 
breakfast, to the far-famed Aero-Corinth. It was 
5 o'clock a.m., and a fresh morning air gave us 
reason to expect a fine day. The increasing light 
showed us the ruins of the once flourishing town, 
on which, in spite of the soft morning rays, we 
could still trace the curse of heaven. Where were 
the palaces, the noble woods of cypress trees, the 
innumerable remembrances of ancient Greece ? 
Where did the chaste figures of the priestesses 
wander ? All the charms we find described in 
classic lore are vanished. Man's spirit has ceased 
to rule, and it is only the elements in their might 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 71 

which inspire us with admiration. The sea, the 
sky, and the mountains distract our glances from 
the twice-destroyed town, whose few remains only 
show to posterity its former grandeur. Our con- 
ductor led us first to the ruins of the temple of 
Neptune. 

They merely consist in four or five low columns, 
which are mighty even in their downfall. Two of 
these arc bound together by a horizontal block of 
stone. One of these threatens a speedy downfall, 
for from the lower part a great piece is broken out, 
and has been plastered up with small stones and 
cracked mortar. 

Did this temple stand in France or England, it 
would be put under a glass case by the archae- 
ologist ; for where there exists a scarcity, possession 
id prized, and where, as here, there is such abun- 
dance, it is scarcely valued. 

The prettiest Etruscan vases are to be bought 
here for a mere trifle, though considered at home 
like jewels only fit for a museum. 1 did not 



72 ON THE WING. 

neglect the opportunity of procuring some of these 
lovely shaped vessels. Behind the ruins of Nep- 
tune's Temple, the ground began to rise. "We 
could ride outside the town up to the ruins of 
Aero-Corinth. 

Everything around us was desert with the ex- 
ception of a large fig-tree, which overshadowed a 
beautiful Turkish well, on the stones of which 
were inscribed some verses from the Koran. A 
thin Moorish woman filled her earthenware pitcher 
from it. Dr. H. told us that a few of these 
children of the equator remained from the time of 
Ibraham Pasha, though the greater number had 
fallen victims to the rage of the fanatical Hellenes. 

In Corinth, in particular, the most horrible 
scenes of cruelty took place, — the Mussulmen slew 
the defenceless ones, and were murdered in retalia- 
tion themselves by the victorious Greeks. 

From the well, the road continued to become 
steeper, and we soon were climbing up great rocks 
upon the craggy heights. The town vanished 



A LAND JOTJKNET THROUGH GREECE. t -> 

for some minutes from our sight, and from the 
southern side we perceived the extraordinary stony 
fortress which stands at the entrance of the steep 
path. Wells, towers, and batteries are planted 
with a bold and practical genius on the single out- 
stretched rock, one of the many useful works of the 
Venetian rule. Before the once terrible gate we 
dismounted, and led our horses up the rest of the 
way. We knocked at the great dark door, which 
was opened to us from the inside by a smart look- 
ing Grecian hussar. Through a dark archway. 
before which hung a portcullis, we passed to a 
- : l 11 house which serves now as a residence to 
the garrison. This latter consists of ten or twelve 
Wretched-looking men, who, according to the ideas 
of the country, are called soldier- ! 

In front of the barrack lay six or seven Venetian 
cannon without wheels ; as if, tired of the long in- 
action, they had determined to make themselves 
comfortable. Aero-Corinth is built irregularly 
round the Hat of the rocks, whose edge is sur- 



74 ON THE WING. 

rounded by a wall, upon which, from point to 
point, little towers are erected. 

Broken pieces of rock, great heaps of ruined 
stones, bare walls of small houses, some cannon, 
bones of men and beasts lie in the direst confusion 
one on another. 

Any attempt at order or a passable road is not 
dreamed of. In one of the many recesses of the 
rocks near the entrance, we found most of the 
houses in ruins, and in the middle a small chapel 
from which sprang young fig-trees. In these huts 
the inhabitants of Corinth sought refuge, after the 
Greeks for the first time took the fortress from the 
Turks. 

Dr. H. made us remark two curious plants, 
growing between these ruins. One is the poison- 
ous squirting-cucumber, the fruit of which, if 
touched, shoots forth its grains of seed with such 
force that the unwary bending over it may in a 
moment lose their sight. I covered my eyes, and 
struck the gourd with my foot, then I heard the 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGB GREECE. 75 

seeds rattling against my hat. The other plant 
twined round the stones with beautiful dark green 
leaves. Its blossoms were of a pure white, and 
filled with an innumerable number of fine stamens ; 
a sweet and delicious smell was given forth by this 
delicate flower. The fruit was long, resembling a 
small green encumber ; the inside of it was filled with 
little red seeds. Yet neither fruit nor flower gives 
the plant its importance, but the tiny dark green 
buds, which, under the name of — the reader must 
have guessed it already — " capers," find their place 
upon every table. 

We had still a good bit of the outer wall to 
climb, until, on reaching the highest point, we be- 
held Hellas, like an open map, lying below us. 
Towards the town the dark narrow band of the 
[sthmus stretched between two of the sunlit glassy 
plains. This fruitful strip of land is unfortunately 
uninhabited and uncultivated, and only a few pine- 
woods break the Burface of yellow earth which lies 
like an unused treasure. 



76 ON THE WING. 

There was a plan of colonizing Germans on the 
Isthmus, but it came to nothing through the want 
of energy in the Government, and the hatred of the 
Greeks for foreigners. German industry might 
have saved the beautiful country by culture, and 
the four hundred families who were destined to do 
it have shown their neighbours how rich and happy 
it was possible to be on such a soil. 

The breadth of the Isthmus, always inconside- 
rable, appears still narrower when seen from above. 
On the further side of the sea, immediately by the 
shore, the mountains of Eumelia and Livadia rise 
towards the heavens. The rocks are bare of trees, 
but coloured by the sun. Mountains appear, like 
men, to be mean or noble. The heights of Hellas 
arise like the noble forms — like old heroes. A 
Helicon, a Libetrius, a Cythero, stand forth like 
the ghosts of a glorious time. In the direction of 
Athens and Salamis the fog prevented our distin- 
guishing objects clearly. On that side we saw, 
nearest to us, Lutreki, a small settlement, with the 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. t i 

depot of the Austrian Lloyd's, and an inn destined 
for the passengers of the steamboat. On the same 
coast lay Relamachi, where travellers arc again 
taken up in a steamer to go on to Athens. 

Below us was Corinth, less frightful and more 
pleasing when contemplated from this height. 
& -oral towers are to be seen from hence, with which 
the Turks had surrounded the town. The ground 
sinks down gradually towards the city, which may 
be reached in about half an hour. From the rocks 
of Aero-Corinth is a tolerably large, vine-covered 
plain, whilst from the mountains to the Morea 
stretches an olive-wood for nearly a league, whose 
fruit brings in to the various proprietors a yearly 
income of -50,000 thalers. 

The trees of this grove are at a certain distance 
from each other, and in height and form resemble 
large willows. Their colour depends on the degree 
of cultivation bestowed on them, those most care- 
fully tended being of a darker hue; in Dal- 
matia, as al Ragusa, the leaf is of a dark grey- 



78 ON THE WING. 

blue. The plain before us runs into a narrow 
rocky pass, through, which is the road to Nauplia, 
bordered by a river. A glimpse was here caught of 
the interior of the Morea, showing us huge moun- 
tains of a wild character. The impression of the 
panorama was elevating and lovely. Barely was 
the hand of man to be traced anywhere ; in parti- 
cular, the Morea looked like an unexplored country, 
which had not yet been enslaved by mankind. 

As our time was very limited, and the road to 
Nauplia was long, we were obliged soon to leave this 
rich scenery, taking our way back to the entrance 
door by the opposite side. This road led us by a 
well, hewn in the rocks, filled with excellent water, 
in which Corinth abounds. We passed a small 
barrack, in which Bavarians were once quartered ; 
except this, we saw nothing but rocks. A few 
soldiers hung about in hideous uniforms. The 
Greek in his national costume, and the Greek in 
foreign uniform, are as far apart as the heavens and 
earth, — so proud, slender, and graceful does he 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 79 

appear in his fustanella and fez ; so mean, thin, and 
pitiful in the uniform of the stranger. 

Through the same gate by which we had entered 
we now left the fort, which the Greeks had only 
gained from the Turks by cunning. It is a pity 
that the great work of the Venetians is now falling 
to the ground. The walls are crumbling away, and 
most of the cannon, adorned with the proud lion of 
St. Mark, have been coined into money by the 
Government. Opposite Aero-Corinth, and between 
the mountains of the Morea, another rock juts out, 
and on its summit stands the oblong castle belong- 
ing to the X. family. We went down the steep 
part of the road on foot, only remounting our 
horses near the Turkish well. On returning to 
N.'s house we found the Eecorder and Professor G., 
who had remained in the town on account of their 
_ at fatigue. They had visited its curiosities, and 
had s<> much to relate about them that my brother, 
Dr. F., and I resolved to sec them, also, as quickly 
>uld. 



80 ON THE WING. 

Dr. H. led us up some steps, cut out of the rock, 
in the form of a semicircle, and one or two fathoms 
deep. Beneath this projection lies the far-famed 
grotto of Aphrodite. In the midst of this grotto 
we perceived a small opening, from whence springs 
a stream of the freshest water; this stream then 
finds its way through a hollow in the rock and 
spreads across the fields. 

In the rivulet the mythic priestesses of Yenus 
were wont to bathe themselves ; their temple stood 
just over this ledge of rock. Every Greek who was 
famous, but more especially generals, were obliged to 
place a maiden as priestess in this temple. In the 
interior of the cave the fresh water spread a deli- 
cious coolness with which the soft plashing harmo- 
nized charmingly. The ground was covered with 
the finest sand, and from all the clefts of the rocks 
sprang fresh grass. 

From the height where the temple once stood, the 
ground sinks insensibly on both sides into the form 
of a horseshoe, so that from the country the interior 



A LAND JOURNEI THROUGH GREECE. 81 

of the cavern could not be seen, and only the view 
of the sea was to be enjoyed. 

In the time of the Turks a Pasha built, on the 
sp'.t where the temple stood, a palace, with steps 
conducting to the subterraneous chamber, which 
was used as a bath ; now both the temple and bath 
have vanished before God's anger over the sinning 
town, and the gardens, temples, and theatre, toge- 
ther with the 300,000 inhabitants of ancient 
Corinth, have become dust and ashes. The present 
Corinth is not larger than a German village. When 
wo returned, the beautiful Eulalia stood under the 
gateway, and bewitched us all with her glances. 
We took leave of her, thanked her for our enter- 
tainment, and mounting our horses rode towards 
Nauplia. 

Professor G., however, did not follow our exam- 
pi o. thinking it would be easier to go on on foot. 
Eowever, when outside the town, with the help of 
i ral c f us, lie worked up upon his horse, we 
g thai he only pretended the wish to walk, 

Q 



82 ON THE WINGL 

that he might not be obliged to take his saddle by 
storm in sight of the bride of Corinth. 

It was really a good thing that we were leaving 
Eulalia's vicinity, for the figure of this lovely ma- 
gician had affected us all deeply. This time a 
greater number of gens d'armes accompanied us, 
because the rocky hollow through which we were 
to pass offered easy lurking-places to the robbers. 
"When we arrived at Nauplia, we heard that the 
night before, a band of eighteen persons had been 
attacked and plundered in this narrow pass. Ban- 
ditti in Greece are an understood thing. It appears 
that the morality of the Greeks is not raised by the 
ideas of king, fatherland, and brotherly love. Their 
own advantage is their guiding star. Even the 
marriages are not from affection, but in most cases 
bargains of convenience; and the reflection that 
you are committing a wrong upon another vanishes 
with them before the pleasure of filling their own 
pockets. 

We had soon crossed the bad stony road leading 



A LAND JOURNEY THBOUGB GREECE. 83 

over the plain of Corinth, and when we arrived at 

the river, found ourselves in a narrow valley, which 
we did not leave again till Ave came to Nauplia. 
Every now and then the barren way was enlivened 
by groups of pines and oleander-bushes growing in 
the rivers' beds. We could easily understand how, 
behind these fields of rocks, these innumerable 
ascents and hollows, the robbers could play a most 
comfortable game ! The smallest band could have 
fallen on our rear-guard, and, if it had been neces- 
sary, vanished without leaving any trace. 

The commencement of this route was only to be 
.pared to the Karstes. From time to time we 
found pickets of the militia stationed for our pro- 
tection ; we counted seven of them. The good 
pie were dressed very poorly in the national 
dress, armed with long muskets, and looked so un- 
inviting that we took the first picket for the bandits 
then 

T'n fortunately we did not make acquaintance 
with any of these highwaymen, though many may 

G 2 



84 ON THE WING. 

have slunk by us; but the gens d'armes spoiled 
their game. None of us would have minded a 
slight encounter, provided it had been without 
serious results. For our indemnification five large 
eagles hovered over our heads, and two of them 
were so obliging as to come so close that we could 
count every feather. These were the more suitable 
inhabitants of this stony desert. We hoped to be 
able to try our guns (which we had carried with us 
the whole journey) on one of these princes of the 
air, but before we could lay our hands on them 
they vanished out of the range of shot. 

The heat had become so intolerable that I was 
obliged to quench my thirst at a romantic, choked- 
up mill-stream. The spots surrounding it were 
beautiful, but the water was brackish and muddy. 
At length the narrow valley opened, and the road 
sloped gently up the mountains. I was reminded 
forcibly of our own Alpine country, particularly near 
the damp fields of Grastein, but only at the spot where 
the vegetation ceases and the fresh meadows end. 



V LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 85 

Here it was we came across a herd of wild goats, 

whose long black hair, like a King Charles's clog, 
Was nicked out with tan. It would be worth the 
trouble to introduce this beautiful breed at home. 

Towards the end of the valley we took our 
Luncheon in the house of one of the gens d'armes, 
near a chapel. These unhappy men, commanded 
by a sergeant, are only relieved once in every six 
months, — an eternity in this neighbourhood ! The 
greater part of the men had had the fever; the 
sergeant, a good-looking, pleasant young man, must 
have suffered severely from it. He received us 
with great courtesy, and wished much to make 
himself understood, which however he could not 
manage. His joy was great when Recorder K., 
with the help of the old Greek, read and translated 
the regulations written on the wall. His room, in 
which we breakfasted, was hung with a variety of 
little wood and steel engravings, proving the in- 
habitant to have had acquaintance with books. 

Tin- chapel, near the house, consisted, like all 



86 ON THE WING. 

small Greek churches, of four bare, square walls, 
from four to five feet high, through which was 
pierced a sort of hole for a door. Gn one side 
stands a small box, upon a stone painted with holy 
subjects, which answers for an alms-box. There 
must be a great reverence for religion amongst this 
robber-like people to prevent them touching such a 
prize, which was not fastened by the very slightest 
chain to the stone. 

After a rest of nearly an hour, we set off again. 
An elevated mountain-chain stood straight before 
us. Gur valley had again narrowed into a pass, and 
to the right of the river rocky crags were scattered 
everywhere. They were not, however, entirely 
void of vegetation, so that, though the landscape 
was wild, it was not so utterly dreary. The 
stream we had followed so long, appeared, in the 
vicinity of the mill, to spring out of the ground, 
which rich and well-watered spot, like an oasis in 
the desert, bloomed with the thick foliage of the 
pomegranates, fig-trees, vines, and tall reeds. 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. Ol 

13y the mill a number of small rivulets had their 
source. Olive-trees drooped their shadowy heads, 
and fowls pecked diligently at the fruitful ground. 
So shady and southerly did all appear that it made 
up to us for the stony way. We refreshed our- 
selves with the excellent water, and left the friendly 
oasis, which was surrounded with houses ruined 
during the war of freedom. This narrow pass was 
the scene of a frightful massacre. Thousands of 
Turks fell here by the revengeful sword of the 
Greeks. 

Our road turned a little, and led among the 
mountains ; the stream, which had its source at the 
mill, flows into the sea at Lepanto, whilst wc 
followed another, beautifully fringed with bushes, 
that empties itself into the Gulf of Xauplia. We 
crossed this some twenty times, which proves the 
narrowness of the watershed. The most luxuriant 

station surrounded this river, and near the 
source all traces of the wild, rocky scenery dis- 
appeared. We laughingly culled it the Amphi- 



88 ON THE WING. 

try on' s bath, because it abounded in frogs and 
tortoises. These became particularly numerous 
where the pass widened again into a valley, and 
spread on each side a network of bush-grown 
fields. 

When I asked Demetry why the people did not 
use these animals for food, he told me it was be- 
cause they were held sacred. The English, how- 
ever, are not kept back, through this belief, from 
lading their ships with them, to take them to old 
England as a preparation for the dainty turtle 
soup. As they can exist for a month without food, 
they are kept without it during the journey. We, 
also, took some with us; the little ones were not 
larger than the palm of the hand, but the biggest 
were above a foot in diameter. It was not very 
easy to catch these creatures, as, in spite of their 
unwieldy form, they can run pretty quickly. 

The valley continued for several miles, until, 
about four o'clock, when we had become very tired, 
we saw a charming prospect. It was a beautiful 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 89 

breezy afternoon. The sun gleamed in the blue 
ether, and threw clear shadows upon the plain from 
Napoli di Romania, which shone in bright colours. 
The chain of mountains, closing in the valley, ran 
to the left in artistic outlines, up to the clear mirror 
of the gulf, and terminated in the exquisitely- 
formed Palamides, which rose near the sea-town of 
Nauplia. 

Each part of this crowned height was cut out 
against the blue background, and was covered by 
houses and large trees, on which played a lovely 
light. Just before us spread a fruitful plain, which 
reminded us of the fields of Lombardy. Trees, 
vineyards, and fields were blended here in the hap- 
confusion. To the right rose the proud 
Argos, whose strong castle rested upon a rock close 
to the mountain range. 

The town of Argos itself lies at its foot. On 
that >ide of the gulf was a chain of hills in the 

•tiirc. whose last offshoots formed the Capo of 
Angelo and the Cape Matapan. At our foot 



90 ON THE WING. 

was the mountain of Mycene, the former residence 
of Agamemnon ; now it is a little ruinous place 
on a wild precipice. A rock hides the cave in 
which the son of Atrides is said to be buried ; 
unfortunately we could not visit it, because the 
distance from Nauplia was so great. 

In a house at the beginning of the plain which 
now lay before us, we found as an agreeable 
surprise, the Austrian consul, who told us he had 
been waiting for us for twenty-eight hours, with 
several carriages, and he had begun to fear that we, 
like our eighteen predecessors, had been attacked 
by robbers. The man was of Italian origin ; he 
wore a blue parade frock-coat, and on his head was 
a cap, like those worn by naval officers, but pro- 
vided with a monstrous leather brim. 

His extraordinary gesticulations betrayed his 
nationality, and was confirmed by a marvellous 
readiness of speech. We heard afterwards that, 
besides the office of Consul, he practised as a phy- 
sician. I shall ever be grateful to him for his 



A LAND JOtfRNEY THROUGB 8KEECE. 9J 

attention in bringing the carriages to meet us, for 
though avo were obliged to dance up and down 
over stock and stone, it was a great comfort to be 
able to drive, after the bad saddles and tiring ride. 
We were in excellent humour, and amused our- 
selves with laughing over the little disagreeables 
of our situation. 

My brother, Prince J., Baron E., and I, took 
one of these rickety shaky carriages. We packed 
ourselves closely together in the narrow space and 
started off at a mad gallop. The old horses 
stretched and racked their limbs, and our Hy- 
politu> set them in motion with a long stick and 
fearfhl shrieks. If you imagine our conductor a 
slender, athletic Hellene, with the antique old god- 
like rays upon his lofty forehead, you are quite 
mistaken, lie was scarcely four feet high, but 
made up for what he wanted in height by a 
monstrous fez, which lie, unlike his countrymen, 
carried bolt upright like a Phrygian cap. A black 
cravat was laced round his neck, nut of which a 



92 ON THE WING. 

shirt-collar equally strange to the national costume 
stuck up like blinkers ; for the rest he was clothed 
in the fustanella, the spencer, and spatterdashes. 

Baron K. tried to make him understand in Italian 
(which is the ordinary means of communication in 
the East) that he should not drive so carelessly 
over everything. He, however, continued to drag 
at his reins, and urge on his horses with his 
discordant howls. We soon discovered that he 
could neither see the horses nor the road over 
which we were leading this steeplechase, as the 
great brim of his cap stretched over his point of 
vision. Suddenly he raised himself, poked out his 
chin covered by a red beard, lifted the obtrusive 
brim with both hands, and looked down with 
astonishment on his horses ; then he turned to us, 
and asked in German if we would like to drive 
slower. Baron K. assured him that this was our 
fondest wish ! We now learned that he had picked 
up some German from the Bavarian soldiers, but 
since the emancipation from the German yoke and 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 93 

from the hatred of foreigners, lie appeared to have 
neglected his studies. 

Just before the town, at the eommeneement of a 
beautiful avenue, we stopped to visit the ruins of 
the ancient Greek fortress of Tyrone. Its origin is 
lust in fables, and the walls appear the work of 
( yclops. We could fancy ourselves rather in a 
pile of lava remains than in a building made by 
man, and the architect had paid due honour to 
the birthplace of Hercules. 

But the day was beginning to decline, and we 
could not stay here either, as long as the interest 
of the place required. The above-mentioned avenue 
• ■ a civilized aspect to the entrance of Nauplia. 
We stopped at the gates, in order to wander 
through the town on foot ; unhappily it was 
dark already. But the fortress appeared to sur- 
3 Patras in size and architecture, and bore the 
-tamp of an Italian town, which, at Patras, is 
• •lily traceable in the suburbs. The latter is, 
however, a much finer one, and more favoured by 



94 ON THE WING. 

nature. As the night did not allow us to study 
details, we permitted them to conduct us to the 
harbour, where a boat from our worthy ' Vulcan' 
took us on board. 

Our feelings on entering the ship were as if, 
after a long separation, we had returned home. 
We rejoiced to tread once more the quarter deck, 
and then in the quiet night to collect our thoughts, 
in the little homely cabin, and pass in review the 
fresh and various pictures imprinted on our 
minds. You can nowhere meditate better than in 
just such a narrow room, between the heavens and 
the waters, and I should advise every philosopher 
to take up his dwelling in the corner of a ship. 

In the poop- cabin where we usually took our 
meals, we found the most magnificent fruit, which 
the wife of the Consul had sent to the captain. A 
real marvel of nature was amongst this fruit, in the 
shape -of a bunch of grapes, two feet long, which 
naturally reminded us of the wonderful specimen 
of Canaan, which had delighted the manna-fed 



A LAND JOTJENET THROUGH GREECE. 95 

Hebrews as much as this did us. We hung it 
untested to the ceiling of the cabin, so that its 
lower berries touched, the table. When later in 
the evening we stepped on the deck, the moon 
shone in Southern magnificence, upon the gulf and 
its romantic shore, its beams danced lightly on the 
rippling waves, behind which, in the shadowy 
darkness of a Southern night, stood out the roofs 
and pinnacles of the town, and above all, like a 
gigantic watchman, rose the grey Palamides. In 
the middle of the silver mirror, washed by the 
gentle wave, stood, shining in the moonlight, the 
fortress of If, whose architecture and name betray 
its Turkish origin. Now its towers rising from 
the little ledge serve as a prison. It was like a 
lie from Sir Walter Scott's novels, and every 
moment I expected to hear the regular sound of 
the oars of a deliverer. But to-night the poor pri- 
soners were obliged to sigh in vain ; I think too, 
that we should scarcely have found any of these 
worthy of the title of a hero of romance. 



96 ON THE WING. 

Soon it was quieter than ever on the quarter- 
deck. Sleep spread its wings over the merry 
travellers ; only at times we heard, half in a 
dream, the peaceful " All is well " from the 
watch of the night. It was broad daylight ere 
the company awoke, strengthened for fresh under- 
takings. 

The morning was destined to be spent in visiting 
Nauplia. The town existed under the ancient 
Greeks, though it was without importance. It has 
to thank the creative spirit of the Yenetian Ke- 
public for its magnificent fortifications, and over 
its gates prances the lion of St. Mark's, with its 
outstretched wings ; it was wrung from Turkish 
hands by the Greeks. It was here that they greeted 
for the first time their new ruler, who resided for 
a while in a miserable house, in a small place of 
this town, and only in after years chose Athens as 
his capital. 

"We first visited the Arsenal ; it stands upon the 
spot destined for it by the Venetians. As the 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 97 

Greeks get all the necessaries of war from foreign 
countries, a few huts raised round the outer wall 
suffice for mending their injured weapons, and 
any other small work. The arrangements are in 
nowise remarkable, and this Arsenal is only in- 
teresting to those who sympathize in the rising 
struggles of this long-oppressed people. 

As the commandant had had the goodness to lead 
us all over it and explain everything to us, Prince 
J., as a distinguished soldier, made some remarks 
that were very flattering to him. From this, we 
went through streets, which bore the Eastern 
stamp, towards the land gate of the fortress. 

After a little time we found ourselves at the foot 

the famed Palamides. The rock rises grandly 

from the bosom of the earth, only one side is joined 

to the mountain-chain. The colour varies from 

to rod ; here and there grows the pulpy 

yellow-blossomed cactus, whose fruit is very much 

d by the natives. Towards the seaside the 

marble steps, provided with a parapet and batteries, 

n 



98 ON THE WING. 

led to the top of the fortress. Unfortunately, the 
weather became darker every moment, and at 
length a fine rain began to fall. This did not, 
however, stop ns from climbing the six hundred 
and ninety-two steps that led into the interior of 
the eagle's nest. 

A guard of Grecian chasseurs received us at the 
door. From the upper batteries we had a bird's- 
eye view of the town. This is situated at the base 
of the rocks, which spread out in a promontory 
that surrounds the gulf. The buildings appeared 
at this distance tolerably good for so thinly peopled 
a country. Before us was a narrow network of 
streets and squares, in which the busy inhabitants 
went to and fro. Churches, houses, groups of trees, 
— all appeared smaller than they were, encom- 
passed by the mighty Venetian walls ; and the 
plan of the town could not have been taken more 
clearly than as it appeared to us from the height 
of the Palamides. From the town to the plain, 
a narrow earthen causeway led between the sea 



A LAND JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 99 

and the rocks, from which a second town, with 
cheerful houses, appeared to rest against the moun- 
tain. 

At the foot of this new settlement stands a great 
crag of rock, in the side of which is hewn the 
colossal image of a wounded lion. It was placed 
there by King Louis, as a remembrance of the Ba- 
varians who had fallen in Hellas. In the distance, 
through a light veil of fog, we saw Argos, and the 
rocky giant Avails which we had left the day before 
by a narrow gateway. At the back of the Pala- 
mides rise still higher mountains, which are only 

; i rated from the interior of the fortress by a 
I moat hewn in the stone. 

According to the new tactics, an outwork was 
obliged to be made upon this dominant height for 
the safety of the place ; but here they fight man to 
man, as in the good old warfare of antiquity, and 
do not .-end destructive >hots from afar. The 
Falamides was only fortified by the Venetians to 

tnre the harbour. The interior of the place is 

ii 2 



100 ON THE WING. 

filled with dwelling-houses and barracks standing 
upon the most irregular ground. 

The fearful disorder which reigns here is almost 
as remarkable as the great Venetian ruins. The 
soldiers look like stealers of poultry, and even the 
Commandant was rather wild and rough. After we 
had gone over the whole ground, with its bastions, 
heights, and hollows, we descended the six hun- 
dred and ninety-two steps, rendered slippery by the 
rain, and wandered through the streets of the town. 
The houses are almost all tall and narrow, and pro- 
vided with a balcony on every floor. On the 
ground were open booths, that ran out into the 
dark narrow streets. 

The tolerably numerous churches are built in the 
old Byzantine style, and a Catholic place of worship, 
of an unchurch-like appearance, was shown to us. 
The Consul told us that the Catholics in these towns 
were persecuted in every way. The Greek com- 
munity spread the most ridiculous stories about 
them ; they relate that the clergy stifle the dying 



A LAM) JOUKNET THROUGH GREECE. 101 

when administering extreme unction, and the 
inhabitants disturb their services whenever they 
can. 

In uiie of the small squares we saw a tolerably 
well-sculptured marble sarcophagus, which con- 
tained the remains of Ipsalanti, and was erected 
to this hero by his brothers. The house and 
the square where King Otho lived are insigni- 
ficant. Another of the houses, remaining from 
the time of the Turks, interested us more. It 
was only held together by a miracle. The pillars 
and trellis of the projecting balcony of the first 
floor (a kind of architecture we saw in perfection 
later at Smyrna) were rotten and crumbling, yet 
the appearance of these odd shapes and brilliant 
colouring was picturesque, and already realized my 
expectations ; but how much more was my fancy 
sited when, from one of the narrow opening. 
I Baw ;i beautiful lady looking out, clothed in a 
black European dress! A thin man. in an ordi- 
nary coat, stood behind her. From whence these 



102 ON THE WING. 

dream-like appearances came remained unex- 
plained. An English couple alone could haye 
had the idea of burying themselves amidst these 
ruins ! 

Upon one of the walls of the fortress, immedi- 
ately by the sea, stands a fine, three-hundred- 
years' old date palm-tree, whose imposing height, 
however, cannot display itself fully, because a great 
part of the slender stem is buried in the earth. 
At our desire to obtain some of the fruit which 
grew on the crown, a tall Greek, in ample blue 
trousers, climbed the tree with great celerity and 
distributed the green dates amongst the surround- 
ing people; although the climate is so beautiful, 
the fruit was not quite ripe, and fell uselessly to 
the ground. 

Close to the palm is a beautiful Turkish well in 
the wall of the fortress, with texts from the Koran, 
which the religious minds of the Mahometans 
place everywhere. "We were constrained to ad- 
mire their talent in finding beautiful situations 



V I.A\n JOURNEY THROUGH GREECE. 103 

for the wells, such as this, at the foot of the 
palm-tree : the view of the gulf is so very fine. 
We returned to the qua}", rowed on board the 
1 Vulcan ' and said adieu to JSTapoli di Romania, 
in order to steer towards Pinmis. 



104 



CHAPTER IV. 



ATHENS. 



14th September, 1850. 
At five o'clock in the morning, I was awoke in 
my little cabin by the cry, " Athens is in sight." 
As with the crusaders, at the first view of Jeru- 
salem, so it was with us, — all rushed to the upper 
deck of the ship, in order to greet the principal 
goal of our journey from afar. Curiosity and joy 
were depicted on every countenance, and the scruti- 
nizing glance took in everything. The azure blue 
waves of the foaming sea played on the broad 
yellow shore, sometimes rising higher and some- 
times on a level with the sea. The plain extended 



ATHENS. L05 

without vegetation, but with some grandeur, until 

at length it was enclosed by a semicircle of sky- 
high mountains. 

At the end of this plain we saw Athens, like a 
white dot. Behind this, the Hymettus, the Acro- 
polis, and the other historically remarkable heights, 
and still further on, the Penthelicou. The view was 
by no means so fairy-like as that of Patras, but 
severe and bare. It was the picture of the past 
which stirred the remembrance of great events. 

Our ship had approached the shore, upon which 
we were shown a heap of stones as the grave 
of Themistocles. Suddenly we turned and ran 
into a canal a few hundred feet broad, that wound 
through the low rocky shores, and showed no out- 
let until we arrived at a broad basin of water and 
entered the beautiful Piraeus. 

A semicircle of newly-built houses surrounds the 
harbour, in which anchored a tolerably large num- 
ber of ships. Both on the quay and on the waters 
there is a bustle of lite, — ;i sighl which is very 



106 ON THE WING. 

pleasing, when one reflects, that only a few years 
ago, a few solitary houses stood on these shores, 
and the harbonr was empty of ships. The suburbs 
are still barren and dead. 

We found two French Lloyd steamers, and a 
French squadron, led by the frigate of an Admiral. 
As at Patras, we were again surrounded after we 
had anchored, by a great number of boats, with 
the single lateen sail, steered with great skill by 
one sailor, who turned it now to the right, now to 
the left, and shot along with the speed of an arrow. 
These pretty little vessels are ornaments to the 
harbour. 

A boat was sent to ask permission to land, and 
we were then greeted by Count J., the Austrian 
Charge d' Affaires. Soon after him appeared 
General G., the King's Chamberlain, accom- 
panied by Captain M., a native of Trieste, who, 
during our stay at Athens, was appointed to 
attend us. 

Both of these gentlemen invited us to take up 



ATHENS. 107 

our abode in the King's Castle, — an invitation that 
avo accepted with thanks. We therefore, after 
haying a little arranged our dress, left the beloved 
1 Vulcan ' for a few days. On the quay we were 
met by a carriage and four, belonging to the 
Queen. It was the first equipage we had seen for 
a long time. Modern blue liveries, great Mccklen- 
1 >urg horses, and an elegant barouche, did very well 
together ; but made a strange contrast with the 
wild surroundings. 

We sprang in, full of fiery enthusiasm, and upon 
• feather-cushions drove along the famous road 
from Piraeus to Athens, — a good broad way, which 
took us three-quarters of an hour. The fearful 
dust was our only annoyance. The town, since our 
entrance into Pirceus, had vanished from our view, 
and it was only on quitting an olive-grove, through 
which we drove, that it again appeared in sight. 
Thi< grove is famed throughout the country for 
it< fruit and size; but tl lis year it was in n bad 
condition, for the live- had suffered from the last 



108 ON THE WINGL 

winter's severe cold, and they can only hope, in a 
few years, to see them again fully recovered. 
Every now and then we passed an inn by the road- 
side; before these, most interesting groups were 
to be seen ; here, too, we met some trains of asses 
and mules, and even a few bad carriages. Near 
Pirseus there are still remains of the ancient Greek 
fortifications of Athens. Yineyards and olives 
grow there. The thickets become thinner, and the 
impression is homely and grandiose at the same 
time. "We went over a plain on which the famous 
battle with the Turks took place, and which is 
ornamented by a monument. 

At last the town, so renowned in history, and 
about which fancy is busy with her many recollec- 
tions, was to be seen. Above everything else, the 
eye is arrested by a mighty rock, bearing an un- 
rivalled crown on its marble base, i. e. the Acro- 
polis, with its richly columned temple and its 
hundred remembrances of the great past, proudly 
looking down ; and as from the features of a man 



ATHENS, 109 

we can trace his soul, so this speaks of the great- 
of the times in which it rose. 

In the plain to our right we saw, in its beautiful 
artistic symmetry, the temple of Theseus, whose 
yellow marble shone like dull gold. Before us lay 
the town, whose circumference is not very great ; 
it is traversed by a long unpaved street, which ends 
with the palace, situated on an elevation. This 
street, which at the beginning was composed of 
miserable -looking houses, only assumes a more 
town-like and better appearance in the neighbour- 
hood of the voyal palace ; but even its very en- 
trance is adorned by a majestic palm-tree. 

The metropolitan church, also, which is built in 
the Byzantine style, is remarkable for its typical ap- 
pearance, and reminds one of the ancient Christian 
times. It rises scarcely twenty-four feet from the 
ground, and is of narrow circumference, contrasting 
iy with the King's palace. Perhaps, as in 
Hebraic story, it is left to the successor of the first 
king to build a worthy temple to the Lord, Avhilst 



110 ON THE WINO. 

the present ruler, like David, has only to care for 
his own shelter below. The houses are like 
those of Patras, only they are furnished somewhat 
more with the necessaries of cultivated life. The 
lower storey is chiefly employed for shops. Life 
becomes more and more bustling the nearer one 
approaches to the " Grande Place" in which the 
royal palace stands upon a height. 

On the left side a Triestine has built a beautiful 
house in the Grecian style ; the right side is unbuilt 
upon, and leaves open a view of the new part of the 
town, in which there are several very fair houses. 
In the distance the sea sparkles, and on a clear day 
the magnificent pillars of the Temple of Jupiter 
are reflected in it. In the " Place " itself, large 
regular plantations of cactus, aloes, and cypresses 
are laid out, in the middle of which a road leads to 
the broad marble steps of the Palace. Eight and 
left are alleys with roads. These plantations are 
formed in unison with the architectural lines of the 
Palace, which stands there in the simple unadorned 



ATHENS 111 

Grecian style; the pure white marble of the country 

shining on the Avails, windows, balconies, and 
terraces, takes the place of other ornaments. 

The whole building is a long quadrangle in the 
part towards the town ; a balcony, supported on 
Doric pillars, is over the entrance, and from this a 
magnificent marble staircase leads to the upper 
Btorey. Upon the side next to the sea is a terrace, 
also supported by pillars, which forms an open path 
to the level ground ; from this broad steps lead 
down to the streets. On the other side lie the 
pleasure-gardens of the Qncen, in all the luxu- 
riance of Southern growth. Behind, towards the 
mountains, hangs again a balcony over the back 
entrance, with a descending winding staircase of 
bronze and marble. 

A- the outside of the palace is not ornamented, 

it has. unfortunately, from a distance 4 rather the 

appearance of a barrack, which the richness of the 

material softens when yen approach. In every 

\<r. il is much too large for the little 



112 ON THE WING. 

town, nay more, for the little country. One re- 
marks immediately the governing spirit of King 
Louis of Bavaria, who did not regulate his build- 
ings by necessity, but according to his ideas of 
what was suitable; so the Grecian kingdom, its 
capital, its court, and its dynasty, must grow to fill 
this Palace. The interior is magnificent ; a lordly 
throne-room for the King, a similar one for the 
Queen, great dining-rooms painted in " fresco," 
enormous ball-rooms glittering with gilding, draw- 
ing-rooms and rooms for strangers, open upon the 
astonished eye. The whole is in excellent taste 
and fitted up with chandeliers and silver plate in 
the Grecian style. There is an attraction in these 
rooms, particularly in those of the Queen, from the 
feeling that here an amiable spirit presides, which 
surrounds not only the palace but the country by 
its influence. We only saw these beautiful apart- 
ments in the course of our stay, and were first 
conducted into the rooms appointed for us, where 
we awaited an audience of the Queen. The win- 



A.THENS. 113 

dows opened upon the garden towards the sea, but 

a corner room afforded me also a view of the town 
and the Acropolis. 

One can imagine nothing more interesting and 
beautiful than the look-out from these heights upon 
the picturesque surroundings, with their monu- 
ments. The clear atmosphere of the South renders 
every outline distinct and sharp, and it seems as if 
Nature had wished to show how noble forms, 
though unaccompanied by luxuriant plenty, and 
only crowned by works of art, can lay hold of 
the soul. These regions are to be compared to 
lofty beauties, whilst the lovely dales of our dear 
Germany produce a more homely, kindly im- 
pression. The Queen's garden is remarkable for 
the endeavour to unite southern and northern 

getation in beautiful groups, and makes an 
i \< client foreground to the view, and a pictu- 
resque contrast to the light yellow bare outline 
which the sea bounds. After our luggage had 
arrived from Piraeus, we dressed ourselves in 

i 



114 ON THE WING. 

our uniforms, and were conducted to the Queen 
Eegent. 

The ladies of the Court stood in the tastefully- 
adorned throne-room. Here the companions of our 
journey remained. My brother and I were led into 
the next room, where the Queen received us in an 
elegant morning toilet. She is of middle height, 
and unites dignity and amiability in a rare degree. 
Her features express wit and strength of character. 
Her speech is amiable and " spirituelle," and rises 
to enthusiasm when the conversation relates to her 
dear Hellas. She is the true mother of her people ; 
for only a mother can talk with so much interest of 
each peculiarity of her children. 

The Queen enjoys — and deservedly so — the love 
of her people, and is received with enthusiasm 
wherever she goes. We heard her firm and pru- 
dent government spoken of with admiration in 
every quarter. 

I should not have thought that a German 
princess, accustomed to the pleasant comforts of 



ATHENS. 115 

her native laud, could have so entered into the 
Grecian customs, or have spoken the language 
with such perfection. After a quarter of an hour's 
conversation the Queen took us into the throne- 
room and presented us to her ladies, and I, also, 
introduced my fellow-travellers. 

The lady-chamberlain is one of the few Germans 
in high position at the Court. She does honour to 
her nation by her agreeable manners and lively wit. 
Besides her, the " Basilissa," as the Queen is called 
in this country, has two Greek ladies of the bed- 
chamber, Mademoiselle Photami M. and Mademoi- 
■ i Penelope L. These are dressed Grecian fashion, 
and confirm the far-famed beauty of their country- 
women. They spoke French tolerably well, and 
did not appear to be ill-educated. After inviting 
r a ride at five o'clock, the Queen left us. 

The rest of the courtiers were very insignificant, 
and I will only mention the chamberlain, General 
G.j who, as in mosl courts, is a kind of factotum. 
Ee is "ii" of the few in whom the King has entire 

i 2 



116 ON THE WIN O. 

confidence, and in the fatal Eevolution he showed 
his strength of character. The history of his past 
is somewhat obscure, and there are malicious stories 
afloat which describe him as having some taste for 
robber life. His exterior corresponds with this 
last supposition. He has a gloomy — somewhat 
lowering, countenance. His complexion and hair 
are extraordinarily dark, so that he gains much 
from the becoming Grecian attire. 

At Rye o'clock we assembled in a small cabinet, 
looking towards the sea. The Queen descended the 
broad marble steps, and sprang with great agility 
on a Turkish horse which awaited her. We fol- 
lowed her example, and now dashed by the guards 
of the palace at full gallop, over the castle square, 
beneath a triumphal arch of myrtle prepared for the 
morrow's anniversary of the Eevolution, down the 
long streets to the Theseum. 

The Queen wished to give us a glimpse of all 
the curiosities of Athens. In the streets she was 
hailed with cries of joy, and everybody greeted 



ATHENS. 117 

her with egressions of respect. TIic Queen on 
horseback is a truly pleasant agreeable sight. She 
rides splendidly, has a firm seat, and guides her 
horse at full gallop over places which many of our 
famous riders would scarcely pass at a foot's pace. 
The horses of the Grecian Court arc mostly from 
the Asiatic mountains, and clatter like chamois 
over dizzy heights : when they cannot plant their 
hoofs firmly, thej^ slide upon their hind legs down 
[i rocky flats without falling. The Queen makes 
her longest journeys on horseback, for an expedi- 
tion in a carriage is never dreamed of. 

The temple of Theseus is one of the best pre- 
served monuments in Greece, and perhaps, one of 
the most beautiful of antiquity. It is tolerably 
large ; all its pillars, the greater part of the inner 
wall, and the roof still exist. The marble of which 
it is built was formerly white, but through time 
and weather, bad become stained of a beautiful 
yellow tint, which suited it well. Tin 1 style is 
simple and pure. This work of art in particular, 



118 ON THE WING. 

is shown off by the open space in which it stands. 
Unfortunately, the traces of the unsparing Turkish 
bullets are to be seen on the walls and columns. 

Amongst the metopes there are only a few bas- 
reliefs, and these not well preserved. It is supposed 
that they represent the deeds of Theseus. The 
inner room of the temple is entirely surrounded with 
walls, whilst, in the olden days, there existed but 
three. The fourth side was built, when this noble 
temple was used as a church by the Christians. 
After n time, all the church furniture was again 
cleared out, and the interior is now filled with 
treasures of art, dug up from the ground. On 
account of the want of space however, these are 
heaped carelessly one on the other. It seems in- 
congruous to us, to see amidst the relics of the 
heathen gods and goddesses, the form of our 
Saviour. The principal entrance from the town side 
is now closed. In the side wall, lying towards the 
Acropolis, a door was opened by a Grecian archgeo- 
logist, who received the Queen and ourselves. 



ATHKNs. Ill) 

We could only take a cursory glance at the 

treasures of the interior, but I will enumerate them 

later, after a more careful inspection. From hence 

we followed the Queen through the narrow back 

streets of Athens, between the most varied ob- 
f 
stacles, and at full gallop, to the Temple of the 

Winds. It is built in an octagon shape, and of free- 
stone, on which the winds are represented beneath 
the roof in a bas-relief. A single door leads into the 
interior, where there arc no windows. The ground 
upon which this building stands has risen six feet 
in depth, which proved to us how choked up old 
Athens is. The ruins of an aqueduct led to this 
interesting temple, of which I shall also have an 
opportunity of speaking further on. 

We now came to the so-called Lantern of 
Diogenes, really the monument of Lysicrates. It 
is a not very broad tower twelve feet high, whose 
roof, ornamented with beautiful but small bas- 
reli 3ts upon four or five low columns. It 

may have been open i<> the air at some time. The 



120 ON THE WING. 

summit of the roof forms a bouquet-shaped knob, 
carved like dolphins. In the newly-built inner 
columned room there appears to have formerly 
existed a bust or statuette. The whole is very 
much ornamented, and the work fine. 

From this our way led to the Areopagus and 
the Pnyx. These are great masses of rock in 
which we could still see the traces of steps. In 
this rock they show a prison-like cell, worked out 
in the stone— said to be the grave of Socrates, 
for which there is not the slightest foundation. 

We looked at the market gate, a portico on four 
columns. It has gained this name wrongly, from 
a great stone which is placed near it, and on which 
in Hadrian's reign the market prices were carved. 
This was a custom in old times, and they are 
frequently to be found near gateways. We further 
visited the arch of Hadrian, the remains of the 
temple of Jupiter, the grave of Philopappus, and 
the spot where the gardens of Plato once were. 

The colonnade of Hadrian consisted of six stand- 



ATHENS. 121 

Lag Roman pillars, before a freestone wall, against 
which rested buttresses uniting it to the other 

walls ; a seventh column stood alone ; it appears 
that the six others were originally furnished with 
statues. On the stone wall were the remains of a 
Christian fresco painting, for here also had been a 
church. Before the pillars a wall is built, and 
within this enclosed spot are collected some more 
antiquities which have been found. 

The gate of Hadrian, in the neighbourhood of the 
temple of Jupiter, is a great wide arch, whose 
Etonian origin is to be traced, and to which a 
>nd gate, supported on four columns, serves 
a foundation. This beautiful work of art is 
thrown in the shade by the magnificence and size 
of the columns of the temple of Jupiter. Their 
height may be about one hundred and twenty 
t, and the circumference exceeds the height: 
in spite of these dimensions, they have a beau- 
tiful and perfect regularity. There are fifteen. 
Twelve of these stand in a group together, 



122 ON THE WING. 

whilst three stand a little distance off. The 
larger group is only bound together by occa- 
sional great stones, otherwise there is nothing 
left of the roof. 

Upon one of the capitals of the pillars are to be 
seen the remains of a stone hnt which served as a 
dwelling to a fanatical ascetic Dervish for twenty 
years, during which time he never descended upon 
earth, but remained like a stork perched in those 
high regions, and drew up his frugal meal by means 
of a rope. At his feet, meanwhile, events were 
following one another, and the old gentleman must 
have been a little surprised when the victorious 
rajahs — the companions of his fate, disappeared, and 
he remained as the solitary servant of the Crescent 
in Athens — the only voice of the Prophet in the 
wilderness. 

The appearance of the temple of Jupiter must 
have been marvellous. In the neighbourhood of 
the rocks is a stream in which Calliope, the beauti- 
ful Muse, was wont to bathe ; therefore this wildly 



ATHENS. 123 

romantic water is called after her name. The 
-antique loveliness of the place has vanished, and 
there exist now only the bare rocks between which 
the water flows. 

The monument of Fhilopappus lies upon a high 
hill, some distance from the town, and near the sea. 
It is an umbrella-like, somewhat crumbled, wall of 
freestone, on the lower side of which is found a 
very much injured bas-relief representing the tri- 
umphal procession of a Eoman Emperor. Over 
these are columns between which are sitting figures 
much mutilated. 

The height upon which this building stands is 
called the mountain of Musams, and is named after 
this Grecian poet. From the garden of Flato, on 
the opposite side, one sees more of the raised place, 
which is crowned by a small chapel. 

Between the vineyards and the promenade of 
Athens — a broad avenue with very weakly-looking 
trees, we came back after sunset to the palace, and 
after ;i marvellously speedy toilet of the ladies, we 



124 ON THE WING. 

assembled to eat our dinner. All the ministers and 
the officers of the Court were round the table. The 
Queen was gracious enough to present to me all the 
ministers of the state. 

A few of these gentlemen had an European air, 
and were able to speak either French or Italian, 
which was a great comfort to me, for I hate making 
myself understood through an interpreter. One is 
always taken in in this kind of conversation, and 
cannot tell how the spirit of the words is rendered 
in the other language. But with the minister of 
the interior, father of the beautiful Eulalia, of 
Corinth, I was obliged to bring in the help of 
another person. 

This gentleman wore the ordinary costume of the 
country, and is of an advanced age. His hand 
appeared to me more fitted to wield the sword or 
the plough, than the pen of an administrator. 
But in the primitive condition of the country the 
rough nature may be the best. It would, however, 
be a good thing if the sheathed sword of the 



A.THENS. 125 

Palikaren were drawn again to free the land from 
the banditti. But where, then, would be the last 
remnants of romance ? Greece, without robbers, 
would be Switzerland without mountains ! 

It is so pleasant when one returns home, to be 
able to relate at the social tea-table that one has 
wandered through the most frightful regions, and 

1 1 the rocks down which the blood of the unlucky 
victims has trickled ! So long as a personal ac- 
quaintance has not been made with these heroes of 
romance, the race of travellers is egotistical enough 
to take a secret pleasure and shudder of delight 
in wandering over the ill-famed neighbourhood. 
Therefore, let us leave cobwebs over the rusty 
swords, and thank the Government for the preser- 
vation, past and future, of the robber bands ! 
Perhaps oven one of the dignified men who sat 
at table might furnish materials for a romance of 
the Klephts. 

The dinner was served quickly and elegantly, 
the Pood was excellent, and our appetite equally 



126 ON THE WING. 

after the long ride. Upon the walls of the dining- 
room fruits, game, and fish were painted in ara- 
besque. After dinner our amiable hostess left us, 
and we were able to enjoy a refreshing repose. 

The following day was Sunday, and we had an 
opportunity of hearing Mass in the King's chapel 
at eight o'clock. Immediately after the Latin ser- 
vice, everything that had served for the observances 
of our Church was moved away, and the Queen's 
pastor with his simple rites stepped in. Some- 
times, on public festivals, the royal pair attend the 
Greek Church. 

In order to know the customs of a country, and 
particularly those of a town, nothing better can be 
wished for than the celebration of a public feast. 
This fell to our lot to-day. 

On the 16th of September (though according to 
the Greek calendar it is on the 3rd), Young Hellas 
keeps the anniversary of the Eevoiution on that day. 
"When we went into the principal streets from the 
palace, the Queen had already driven through 



ATHENS. 1-7 

the triumphal arch of myrtle and had reached the 
cathedral, where a solemn prayer was the chief 
object of the feast. The streets were lined with 
rows of Grecian troops. Their aspect was unmili- 
tary ; wo saw in them how the dress of European 
soldiers had cramped the free movements of this 
people. The stiff stocks, the round adorned shako, 
gave a sickly look to the sons of the Southern 
mountains. A man who is accustomed to the 
fluttering jerkin and the folded fustanella, must 
feel very uncomfortable, beneath the Grecian sun, 
in the buttoned-up cloth coat and the long inex- 
pressibles. 

Thus the j'ouths of Hellas are abandoning the 
picturesque costume of their country, in order to 
turn themselves into Marionettes, and become more 
like our national guard. Yet European civilization 
requires this, and the enthusiastic admirer of beauty 
in the nineteenth century must be silent. 

battalion, in the national dress, looked very 

■utif'ul and warlike, and carried its colours with 



128 ON THE WING. 

the same magnificence as the troops we had already 
admired at Patras. 

The people circulated in a merry crowd between 
the ranks, sometimes in European dresses, some- 
times in their own bright colours. The balconies 
were adorned most beautifully, and here we saw 
matrons and maidens most gorgeously attired. 
From their sparkling eyes and regular features we 
could easily recognize the mixture of southern 
Sclavonic and ancient Greek blood. Amongst the 
costumes of the women, those of the Hydriots were 
new to us. Instead of the red fez, the charming 
islanders wore a thin gauzy veil, which fell in artis- 
tic folds over their heads, necks, and bosoms. The 
dresses are, like those of their sisters on the conti- 
nent, made out of brilliant-coloured silk stuffs. 

In spite of the importance of the day, people 
were very quiet. No enthusiastic hurrahs, not even 
any curiosity for sight-seeing was to be remarked. 
It seemed rather as if the people only came from 
habit. 



ATHENS. 129 

After we had contemplated the cheerful glitter 

of the houses, heightened by the glowing sun, Ave 
betook ourselves to a cathedral, suitable in size to a 
lilliputian capital. 

At the door a rush of hot air met us, and our 
ears were greeted with the monotonous song of the 
Greek priests. 

In the midst of these latter sat the Archiman- 
drite, a worth}- figure of past times, with a wavy 
snow-white beard. 

On the right side of the church, before a throne- 
chair, stood the Queen-Eegent, like a marble statue, 
in rich fur-trimmed habiliments. There was some- 
thing artistic in the fancy of this dress, and it was 

cut in an Oriental pattern. 

> 
A- we had taken up our place just opposite the 

columned arches of a somewhat raised dais, we 

could contemplate the dignified lady at our leisure. 

Her figure swam in a gold sea of rich embroidery; 

from her dark-brown hair sparkled diamonds; her 

neck was also covered with these stones; but the 

K 



130 ON THE WING. 

expression of her countenance and her whole bear- 
ing was cold and immovable, — there was an ex- 
pression almost of displeasure on her usually 
amiable cheerful features. The poor lady may 
well have thought how her rising throne, a few 
years before, had been branded on this horrible 
3rd of September. She could picture in recollec- 
tion the image of the screaming mob and the 
yielding counsellors, and now she was obliged to 
pray for the preservation of institutions which had 
plunged her beloved Hellas in confusion. She 
was pressing her lips firmly together, instead of 
opening them in prayer. 

At the end of the hymn we left the gloomy 
vault, that we might see the Queen drive by. I 
had thought that on this occasion there would have 
been a characteristic, if not a magnificent, pro- 
cession, instead of which two Bavarian carriages 
and four drove past, in which the Queen, with a 
part of her suite, was almost lost from sight. A 
few single richly- dressed adjutants and a troop of 



ATHENS. I'M 

lancers surrounded the carriage, and they all dis- 
appeared rapidly from the curious gaze. 

The Queen took off her oppressive robes, and we 
then assembled for breakfast in a garden pavilion. 
It consisted of a wooden trellis with a light roof, 
and is raised over a fine mosaic, dug out of that 
very spot, and said to be the largest known. It is 
extraordinarily well preserved, and appears, from 
the arabesque and the form, to have been found in 
an ancient bath-room. As we sat down to an ex- 
cellent breakfast, the Queen remarked that the 
number was thirteen. A small table was imme- 
diately prepared in a corner of the pavilion, and 
the poor adjutant, who had been appointed as our 
attendant, was obliged to sit down to it. This 
comical behaviour may be excused in this ordinarily 
sensible Queen for two reasons. Firstly, the Grecian 

pie are so extraordinarily superstitious, it is not 
advisable to sot yourself openly against these pecu- 
liarities. Secondly, a few years previously, a 
remarkable accident had happened at the court. 

K 2 



132 ON THE WING. 

There were thirteen at dinner one day, and a short 
time afterwards one who had been of the circle at 
table died. A few days later, the company were 
again assembled, and there was the same ominons 
number. A yonng Englishman, who had been 
present at both meals, wondered, jokingly, who 
would be the victim this time. A short time after 
the young Briton was a corpse. 

After luncheon, the Queen ordered a little pony- 
carriage to be brought round, in which she drove 
out myself and my brother, and gave us an oppor- 
tunity of admiring her talent as a whip. The rest 
of the company followed on foot. 

We were shown a small menagerie consisting of 
deer and gazelles. The Queen drove us to this 
through her garden, which is her greatest pleasure 
and pride. She laughingly calls it her little king- 
dom. Before she undertook the government of the 
larger one, this Athenian El Dorado was her 
principal amusement ; now, unfortunately, the gar- 
den has had to suffer by the weightier matters of 



ATHKXs. 133 

business. The grounds are Laid out in English 
taste, German plants are raised and nursed with 
care between the palms and orange trees of the 
country. 

The view from some parts over the remains of 
old Greek art is very fine, and could not well be 
more beautiful. All that is wanting are shady 
spots and green lawns, in order to make the garden 
perfect. The first fault will be rectified by time, 
for the whole has only been made a few years. On 
the higher ground there already stands a group of 
trees, under whose shadow T the royal couple are 
wont to breakfast. For the second deficiency there 
is less hope, — the rays of the sun are too powerful 
to permit the luxuriant growth of the grass. In 
Athens however, this garden is a wonder, — it is the 
only point where the fresh green of foliage and a 
variety of blooming flowers are to be seen. 

For us, who came from a cooler land, the growths 
of the South were particularly interesting. The 
multitude of feathery palms and the fleshy aloes 



134 ON THE WING. 

were new to us. These last-named plants look 
particularly well, springing out of the snow-white 
marble vases standing on the broad, even steps 
which lead from the left side of the palace down 
from terrace to terrace, into the garden. The first 
terrace, being broader than the others, is reserved 
for a promenade under colonnades. The second lies 
somewhat lower, and is laid out with very beautiful 
beds of flowers between orange trees. These, how- 
ever, suffered so severely in the last winter from the 
cold, that they were obliged to be cut down to the 
ground ; but the Southern growth is so quick and 
strong that they have already reached the height of 
from four to five feet. The crop, notwithstanding, is 
delayed for several years. The garden is of a fair 
size, and a few very beautiful antiquities have been 
found during its construction, which are kept in 
one part. A few years ago they lighted upon a 
well-preserved, ancient aqueduct, which they now 
use to bring the water necessary for the plants. 
They also believe they have found the place where 



ATHENS. 1 35 

Socrates used to teach. The course of centuries 
converts the school-place of the ancient philosopher 
into an English park ! 

As the glowing mid-day sun soon drove us out 
of the gardens, it was proposed to us to visit the 
King and Queen's apartments. These united mag- 
nificence with comfort, and I found many clever 
ideas, and pretty fresco paintings among the Greek 
ornaments ; but everywhere Munich taste shone 
conspicuous; and indeed, in this hot climate, this 
manner of building is of great use. 

In the King's studio, under the ceiling, we saw 
the famous men of old Greece. In one corner 
stood a plaster cast of the Apollo of Belvedere, as a 
specimen of ancient art. In another room we saw 
busts of the heroes of modern Grecian history. 
On the walls hung two great oil paintings by the 
Munich painter Ilesz, representing the entrance of 
the King into Xauplia and Athens. The pictures 
are powerfully executed, and contain many of the 
interesting portraits of the country. In this r<'<»n 



136 ON THE WING. 

there are, as yet, no specimens of modern native 
art, and it would be difficult now in Greece to 
find such. 

The broad steps which lead to this room are, 
as has already been mentioned, adorned with 
bronze and white marble from Penthelicon — a noble 
work. These stone steps are fixed so firmly that 
the double staircase along the wall is without 
supporting columns. The Queen related to us, 
that it required a long time, and a great deal of 
trouble before they could find blocks of marble 
so entirely without flaw, as to be able to venture 
upon this masterpiece. This truly magnificent 
flight of steps leads into a hall immediately by the 
great entrance in the middle of the palace. The 
most beautiful rooms of the building are undoubt- 
edly the two great ball-rooms in the entresol. 
They reach through all the storeys to the top of 
the castle. The principal colour is red, adorned 
with rich gold ornaments. The furniture corre- 
sponds with the walls and the ceiling, and is so 



ATHENS. I'm 

placed that there still remains room for dancing. 
A painter was just busied rilling the upper part 
of one of the rooms with mythological figures. 
'When the heavy chandelier, and rich walls glow 
in a thousand coloured lights, and the beautiful 
embroidered oriental dresses move to and fro to 
the melody of the dance, the sight must be truly 
fairy -like. 

These feasts are famed among all strangers as 
very splendid and tasteful. Whether these festivi- 
ties are consistent with the customs and the 
revenues of the country, I do not presume to 
judge. From good authority I was assured that 
the Grecian people loved the munificence and glitter 
of the throne. 

Tin- Queen, who showed us the curiosities of 
her country, in such a graceful, amiable manner, 
invited us that afternoon to take a drive to the 
far-famed Elousis. The whole company were dis- 
tributed in two roomy comfortable carriages, and 

we rolled from the castle through a low part of 



138 ON THE WING. 

the town, and soon reached the sacred road which, 
in the time of the ancient Greeks, led to the 
Temple of the Unknown God. 

At first we drove through olive-trees and vine- 
yards, but soon came to a romantic wild desert, 
and had to pass through a narrow valley to reach 
the other side of the mountain chain, where lies 
the placid bosom of the sea, and at the end of the 
valley was Eleusis. To the right and left of the 
road were scattered large pieces of rock, here and 
there were groups of pines, whose summits were 
crowned with a lovelier green than the foliage of 
our trees. 

Except several slow crawling tortoises, we saw no 
signs of animal life, but in the middle of the desert 
we came upon the ruined nunnery of Daphne. A 
small part of the strong European outer walls of 
the Church and the miserable huts of the nuns are 
still standing. Originally a castle was built here 
by the family Laroche, of the Dukes of Athens. 
The descendants of Laroche still exist in Bavaria. 



ATHENS. 139 

The walls exhibit distinctly a Southern architecture. 
Afterwards the castle was turned into a convent, 
and a church was built still later in the Byzantine 
style. In the cupola is a large mosaic — a head of 
our Saviour of a typical nature. As the church is 
devoted to the Greek service, a gilt screen is natu- 
rally to be seen between the congregation and the 
altar. The long thick candles, in tall upright 
candlesticks, throw a dim light on the great Testa- 
ments, lying open on separate desks, and upon the 
walls black with smoke. 

The quiet and calm of the Ilouse of God gave a 
solemn air to the whole. In a side chapel there 
are still some monuments on which the arms of the 
Larochcs are carved on the marble. Thus, in the 
neighbourhood of Athens, one finds the histories 
of all periods immortalized by the most remarkable 
recollection-. 

In tin- court of the convent there are still to be 

me remains of Gothic ornamentation. The 

walls are so massive, that it looks as it' these Dukes 



140 ON THE WING. 

had not felt themselves very secure. We had 
scarcely climbed round the ruined walls when some 
life began to appear in the shape of several black 
horrible witch-like figures, clothed in a few rags 
with tangled grey hair and withered limbs. They 
belonged entirely to the bygone ages of the inani- 
mate ruins around us. Cauldrons and brooms were 
all that were wanting to complete the picture. 
These were the pious Sisters of Daphne, who w ere 
just in the act of strewing Turkish maize and other 
grain on the floor to dry. About their holiness 
there is not very much to be said, at least such is 
the opinion of the Archbishop of Athens, their 
spiritual Superior. In every case their appearance 
is not only repulsive, but unseemly, and they appear 
to be rather a troup of beggars than nuns. We left 
the ruins after these black hobgoblins had kissed 
the Queen's gracious hands, screeching blessings. 

We were soon at the end of the valley, and our 
eyes rested with pleasure upon the sea, the village 
of Eleusis and the high beautifully-formed moun- 



ATHENS. I 1 1 

tains. We could now see traces of a second road 
cleft in the rocks, for the path lies on a narrow 
shelf between the sea and the high rocks. It is 
•rvable, here, as in the Acropolis, and many 
other places in Greece, that the ancients cut ruts 
in the stone, and that the wheels, which were all of 
the same breadth, ran in these, so that the horses 
were obliged to go along on the bare rocks. Still 
more interesting than these remains of the road, 
are the soft-water lakes, which are just to the right 
of the track, whilst on the left it is washed by the 
waves of the sea. These small lakes arc also of 
ancient date, their depth is not greater than five 
feetj they lie rather higher than the sea into which 
they flow down under the road. This is only sepa- 
rated from the sea by a very low wall. It appears 
that the object of these lakes Avas the preservation 
of fish ; the supply comes probably from sub- 
terraneous sources. 

At the entrance of Eleusis the Queen stopped, 
and we got out. We first visited an extraordinarily 



142 ON THE WING. 

low Greek chapel, which was built out of the ruius 
of the famous Temple of the "Unknown God." 
In the interior of this we found several pieces of 
old statues and inscriptions of great interest for 
any archeologist who understood these characters. 

As we were busy admiring these ruins of former 
times, the inhabitants of the village above us 
streamed down and surrounded the beloved Basi- 
lissa, who greeted them with kindly words in the 
soft Grecian tongue. It is a charming custom of 
the royal pair to show themselves amongst their 
villagers. The whole crowd go out to meet them, 
rejoicing, and letting their cries of "Zito" be heard 
in the air. 

The inhabitants of this place, particularly the wo- 
men, were dressed quite differently from those near 
Athens ; I might say more poetically and tastefully. 
They wear long, dark-coloured dresses, and over 
these a white cloak, with black tassels, hangs down 
to their knees. Their bodices are richly embroi- 
dered. Their heads and necks are hidden by a 



ATHENS. 143 

white veil, long twists of which hang over their 
shoulders clown to the ground. The abundance of 
their hair is the pride of these women. They help 
themselves artfully by twisting brown wool in it. 
The maidens wear, instead of the veil, their dowry 
on their heads, consisting of a helmet-sort of cap, 
with a band and tassel composed of silver and 
gold coins, often a very interesting little collection. 
Turkish, Grecian, Austrian and Spanish gold pieces 
are to be found in every variety. This very ori- 
ginal headdress, however, becomes the serious 
Oriental cast of features very well. A great 
number of the women wear golden rings with the 
most beautiful antique cameos, which they find in 
the fields between the clods of earth. 

We wandered now, followed by the whole crowd, 
on the rocky hill which formed the foundation of 
the temple. Only a few ruined walls and pieces of 
marble pillars are now to be found of the famous 
sanctuary, in which the Eleusinian Mysteries were 
celebrated, and one forms the wish thai Ceres 



144 ON THE WING. 

might come again to this neighbourhood and seek 
her children, and, if she should come, that for a 
second time might be sung — 

" Und auf ihrem Pfad begriisste 

Irrend nach des Kindes Spur, 
Ceres die verlass'ne Kiiste ; 

Ach ! da griinte keine Mur ! 
Dass sie hier vertraulich weile, 

1st kern Obdach ibr gewabrt ; 
Keines Tempels keine Saule 

Zeuget dass man Grdtter ebrt." 

So the hand of time passes over the most famous 
objects: and often the poem of Biickart has come 
into my mind in Greece, which tells of the valley 
where there first existed a town, then a heap of 
ruins, fields and sea, and lastly, a town again. It 
was a painful thought to us the Youth of modern 
times, whilst scrambling over the broken stones, 
put together long ago with great labour by the most 
civilized people of the world, in order to create a 
chef-d ) oeuvre for eternity, to reflect that here the 
Youth of ancient times once celebrated the mystic 
rites of Ceres ! 



ATHENS. 145 

We wore now conducted to two houses of the 
inhabitants of the country, in which we saw the 
most magnificent mosaics, representing children at 

play and the wallowing of swine. Over one of 
these runs the wall of the house. Thus these fine 
works were given up to destruction by ignorant 
men, though with the slightest care they might 
have been preserved. Unhappily, the King, who 
has the best possible will to preserve these trea- 
sures, has not the power to command that this wish 
should be carried out. 

A- we left the second house, the women and 
maidens of Eleusis formed a semicircle before the 
Queen, and began to sing, to a rather monotonous 
melody, a hastily improvised song, to which, hold- 
ing their arms crossed, they danced a solemn 
swinging dance. Slowly they bowed themselves, 
witli "lie step forwards, and then two small steps 
backwards, and after each verse they knocked with 
tie' heel of their sandals upon the hard ground. 
In this dance wo recognized the customs of the old 



146 ON THE WING. 

Hellenes, as we see them represented npon the vases 
of ancient Greece, and an interesting, beautiful sight 
it was. The Queen told me that the song related 
to her presence. In the first words they expressed 
their joy that we strangers brought news of the 
approaching arrival of the King ; in the second, 
the Basilissa was compared to an orange-tree, at 
whose feet a fresh stream sprang. The people 
seem to have a peculiar facility in these impro- 
visations. 

Another ancient Greek pier stretched into the 
sea at the foot of the little town. It is distin- 
guished by its peculiarly large freestones. The 
Queen invited us to take some refreshment, which 
proposition we thankfully accepted. It was a 
g outer champetre. They hastily brought a miser- 
able table and a few camp-stools. A box, which 
contained the much- desired provisions, was opened, 
and we employed ourselves with the cold meat, 
eggs, and wine, particularly that of the world- 
renowned Eleusis. Thus it is with human beings : 



ATHENS. 147 

mind, heart, and stomach are, unfortunately, a 
necessary triumvirate, which, in this poor life on 

earth, can never he separated ! 

After the short meal, the men of Eleusis, not 
wishing to he outdone hy their wives, led another 
dance similar to that of the women, only more 
lively and wild. The host dancer of the district 
led the maze, and made very droll high leaps, 
similar to those of a chamois, and reminding one 
of the ancient Bacchanalian demeanour. After we 
had admired this for some time, the Queen collected 
round her the children of the village, asked them 
a few questions in a pleasant tone, and divided 
amongst them the eggs that were left over from the 
meal. It was a pretty picture to see the tender 
woman amidst the fresh noisy children. All 
pressed around her. Each wished to have a gift. 
The boisterous she waved mildly back with her 
hand, but amongst the more modest she divided 
them cheerfully. What a screaming and jubilee it 
was ! She knows well hew to win the hearts of 

L 2 



148 ON THE WING. 

her people by the simplest means. The whole 
population, young and old, dashed after the car- 
riage, and the Queen left the interesting spot, 
amidst loudly resounding cries of joy. "Zito 
Basilissa ! " the more enthusiastic of the youths ran 
shouting after her for some time. It is easily to 
be seen that it is the Queen who supports the 
newly-established throne of Greece, by her personal 
influence over the affections of her people. 

As we drove through the vineyards, the few 
inhabitants threw into the carriage the finest grapes 
they possessed, which were accepted gratefully ; 
and this sign of affection was not, as with us, 
rewarded with gold. The friendly nod of the 
Queen was the peasant's highest reward. The 
people in Greece are thorough royalists, and know 
the value of princely protection and graciousness, 
without the need of proving it to them by pay- 
ment. 

Late in the evening we returned to Athens by 
the brilliant starlight. 



ATHENS. 1-41) 

The following morning we took breakfast in our 
rooms, and at nine o'clock were taken to the King's 
stables ] they are roomy and clean, and contain a 
beautiful collection of Oriental horses. The finest 
of these were led out in the court before us. The 
King and Queen are very fond of riding lively 
animals. It is thought bon ton in Greece that the 
horses should be very frisky in starting, in order 
in show off the riding of the King to the astonished 
people. The stud is taken care of by a former 
Bavarian officer, who appears to understand the 
art of riding very well. From hence we betook 
ourselves to the newly-built University, which is in 
the old Grecian style. The large, not yet finished, 
room is supported by beautiful pillars of white 
marble. The whole institution is only just com- 
menced; but they are endeavouring to perfect it; 
and the library, which consists chiefly of presents 
from the Continent and strangers 3 is not without 
importance. From this spark' of new life we went 
back to the centre of old magnificence and grandeur 



150 ON THE WING. 

— to the proud rock-built Acropolis, which sur- 
passes everything we have yet seen of ancient art. 

From the foot of the height to the gate of the 
outer wall the road goes over bare earth- embank- 
ments ; and it is, as usual in modern Greece, very 
bad. We were obliged to work our way through 
the dust with a great deal of trouble to where, 
before destructive Time had done his work, the 
ancient Greek mounted the marble steps to the 
seat of the gods. In the distance, the proud Propy- 
lseum beamed on the worshippers of the sublime 
Minerva like a temple of the Sun in the blue 
ether. Zealously he winged his upward steps, 
and soon found himself in a wilderness of pillars, 
in which the works of a Phidias, like pearls of 
human art, gave him at once enthusiasm for his 
divinity, and admiration of the skill of man. He 
would contemplate the mild, serious features of the 
goddess, formed from the neighbouring stone-quarry 
of Penthelicon, whom his poetical mind had con- 
verted into his protectress. No still earnest prayers 



ATHENS. 151 

of reverence and devotion to the highest Being 
could pass these lips. In their place shouts of joy 
were required at the bringing the flower-crowned 
sacrifice, which was the expression of the poetic 
enjoyment of nature ; it had, however, its end in 
self-praise. A Christian's awe for the great Creator 
of the world was only produced then — by God's in- 
comprehensible phenomena of nature, and by death ! 
The Acropolis was a diadem, with which proud 
humanity had decked its own glorious head; but 
this crown wanted the pure blessing of Ecdemp- 
tion ; the glitter of this vain ornament was destroyed, 
and the sensual spirit vanished before the thorns 
and crown of the Saviour. In this frame of mind 
the disciples united their artistic powers to decorate 
the cathedrals (instead of the pearls and jewels of 
ancient time) with the simple emblem of the cruci- 
fix. The glitter disappeared, the pearls were scat- 
tered by the flight of time; and yet one recognizes, 
by the remains, that the minds who created these 
works must have beeD great and sublime. In the 



152 ON THE WING. 

ruins there still lies a poetical charm — an irresis- 
tible power — which even flatters the self-love of 
a Christian of the nineteenth century. The soul 
is involuntarily filled with pride at the thought 
that these works were raised by men of like flesh 
and blood ; and, as we are not reminded by seeing 
the attributes of heathen worship in the broad quiet 
space, fancy has free play, and even Christian minds 
can rejoice in the monuments of old Hellas. 

We entered the gate of the outer wail. After 
we had pressed through it we came to a small 
watch-house, which, unfortunately, is partly built 
out of the remains of the art treasures. To the 
right and left lay fallen stones, broken columns, 
and we passed through a door-like opening in the 
wall, within the boundaries of the magnificent Pro- 
pylasum. Even to this very clay, the mighty steps 
are traceable which were said to have reached to the 
sea. On each side rose gigantic columns, which 
formed several entrance-halls to the real sanctua- 
ries. In the marble floor grooves had been cut in 



ATHENS. 1 



06 



Buch a maimer that formerly they must have driven 
their chariots between the steps. 

The rows of columns are separated from the 
interior of the Acropolis by great walls of free- 
stone. In the middle is to be found a threefold 
entrance. To the right of the Propyhmim, upon 
a projecting rock, stands the decorated Temple of 
Victory, to which we directed our attention for the 
first time. Its dimensions arc very exact, and in 
perfect symmetry. Four walls, adorned with Doric 
columns, formed the building, on one side of which 
a beautiful dome leads into the interior. Around 
the cornice run beautifully-sculptured bas-reliefs, 
on a very small scale. Owing to the open situa- 
tion of the temple, its background is the pure 
ether ; and, being built in such small proportions, 
which of late have been restored, it has something 
viiK ly attractive about it. In the interior, lean- 
ing against the wall, we found a particularly fine 

^relief of the goddess Victory. The Athenians, 
in order to make sure of success, imt only built 



154 ON THE WING. 

this monument in her honour, but called it the 
Temple of the " Wingless Victory," meaning, that 
victory could not then leave them. 

We afterwards turned to the left side of Propy- 
lseum, where we found, on a crag of rock, a large 
apartment in which " the Dukes of Athens dwelt in 
the middle ages. 

Now this room and the space immediately 
adjoining are used as a museum for the antiquities 
dug out of the ground. Here are piled up stone 
hands, feet, arms, and heads. Only a few of these 
were of great importance; but how gladly would 
we have taken the smallest bit of the most worthless 
statue as a remembrance ! This, however, as is 
natural, is strictly forbidden, for Greece has already 
been greatly robbed of its most beautiful statues 
and vases by European lovers of art. A few 
members of our company, notwithstanding, con- 
trived to conceal small marble bits of the pillars or 
wall, as a remembrance of the historical place. 

What a pity it is that the Grecian government is 



ATHENS. 155 

in want of money, and the nation in want of 
love for art ! otherwise all these treasures and 
the antiquities scattered in various parts might 
be collected and systematically arranged in a 
museum built for the purpose. Thus at least the 
shadows of the magnificent monuments of ancient 
Greece would be restored to us. One raises a clod, 
looks between the rubbish of centuries, and the 
form of a beautiful torso appears. Athens and 
Europe rejoice over the great discovery, and the 
torso keeps its gloomy place of honour amongst the 
other broken fragments. Wonderful stories arc told 
of the newly discovered masterpiece, it is ascribed 
to a Phidias, it is praised in the art journals. The 
bad counterfeit in copper astonishes the gaze of the 
carious outer world, whilst in the immediate neigh- 
bourhood of the headless trunk the already long- 
found hands and feet are shown to astonished 
fcrai - unmeaning fragments. Could not a 

skilful artist collect these various limbs, and unite 
them ;t- a perfect statue of a bygone century, or, 



156 ON THE WING. 

inspired by these beautiful models, produce this or 
that small portion that is wanting ? Or could not 
a clever architect throw himself into the spirit of 
these old works, and put together, with the correct 
eye of an artist, the various scattered fragments of 
pillars, and construct them into a whole? Unhap- 
pily, the means are wanting for such a great under- 
taking ; and till now only a few small experiments 
have been made, whose success, nevertheless, gives 
proof how great would be the reward of this 
magnificent, though difficult work. 

We wondered to see the richly- draped statue of 
a goddess, dislodged from her exalted position, rest- 
ing on the Acropolis, whilst her lovely head, dug 
out of the plain, was, perhaps, shown in the Temple 
of Theseus ; yet this may have come to pass in a 
very natural, although barbarous manner. The 
cruel Turk found this figure upon the long-be- 
sieged castle walls ; no inspiration seized him when 
contemplating it ; he had only drawn the sword 
of the Prophet for purposes of destruction, and 



ATHENS. 157 

the iron hand of the barbarian soon did its work. 
The head which Phidias had inspired with life, and 
which, through his chisel, had attained eternal fame, 
Ma> dashed from the dazzling neck, and rolled, 
with shouts of victory, over the rocks and plains of 
the conquered country. But these sacrifices to 
barbarism were not confined to the sons of Ma- 
homet ; the knights of Christian states knew how 
to take part in such amusements. It would be 
the duty, now, of the lovers of Art in the nine- 
nth century to collect the scattered members of 
these gods, and bring them once more to the spot 
of their old fame, as offerings to their respective 
Muses. Yet this docs not happen, and will not 
happen; so the history of bygone ages teaches us. 

Each period has its peculiar star in art, which 
attracts the admiration of mankind. The lesson 
given us by time is, therefore, that those works 
ar<- destroyed, and their ruins left to posterity, in 
order that future generations may conceive 1 , learn, 
and create for themseb i a, 



158 ON THE WING. 

Through the doors of the Propylseum we stepped 
into a space strewn with stones — the peculiarly 
consecrated abode of the old gods. Here we found 
the great pedestal, marking the spot upon which 
the famed Minerva had once stood. Here was to 
be distinguished the temple of Erecthea ; here, the 
great masterpiece of Grecian architecture — the 
richly-columned gigantic Parthenon, in which Phi- 
dias had once enthroned his Zeus formed of gold 
and ivory. To the left, on quitting the Parthenon, 
a number of exquisitely beautiful bas-reliefs, taken 
from the metopes of the Parthenon, rest against 
a wall of freestone. They represent a triumphal 
military procession, in which the most marvellous 
figures are to be discovered; they are among the 
finest productions of ancient art. Yet the prin- 
cipal treasures amongst these bas-reliefs Lord Elgin, 
the representative of his merchant nation, has taken 
to London to the British Museum; but, in grati- 
tude for the successful robbery, he has built poor 
Athens a miserable clock-tower! As far as the 



ATHENS. 159 

great claws of the leopard stretch, so for he inflicts 
wounds, in order to reach the heart's blood; and 
the spoils in his den at home show that the leo- 
pard's claws are long ! 

Our feelings of enthusiasm increased as we ap- 
proached the sublime Parthenon. The facade is 
still tolerably well preserved, and gives a great 
many outlines and points to fancy, from which she 
can easily fill in the whole of the noble old picture. 
A broad colonnade, in the most simple grandiose 
style, surrounds the temple, which is both closed in 
and decorated with pillars. The pediment of the 
temple is, unhappily, greatly damaged ; and there 
are only to be seen two headless, armless figures, 
which must once have formed part of a marble 
group. A few broken traces of the metopes are 
to be seen between the roof and the columns. So 
elegant and small are the dimensions of the temple 
of Victory, so majestic and large arc they in these 
works of ancient art; yet both stand alike charm- 
ing in architectural harmony. An irresistible charm 



160 ON THE WING. 

exists in these marble ruins ; the works have been 
planned by a thoughtful mind, and executed with 
spirit. One riddle remains unsolved by us, viz. 
how the ancients had the strength and the means 
to pile those great masses of stone on each other. 
Yes ! those great artists made such architectural 
calculations as we are not accustomed to think 
of, such as our poor weak age dares not contem- 
plate. Thus they managed to protect their won- 
derful buildings, made of colossal stones unce- 
mented by mortar, from the numerous earthquakes 
of the South, by giving to all the pillars a some- 
what sharp inclination to the interior of the temple, 
so that the cross-stones, propped up against each 
other, gave a support to the whole. In this way 
they gave to the bases of the Parthenon a leaning 
direction towards the centre, producing an optical 
illusion, and making these noble buildings appear 
larger. For the figure of Zeus no better work 
could have been chosen as an abode for the god, 
for it expresses, at the same time, the gravity and 



ATHENS. 161 

the greatness of the thunder-god, and his poetical 
aspect as an admirer of the nymphs. We went 
into the interior. Where was once the roof, the 
clearest light now streams from the bine ether 
through the Penthelicon marble, yellow-stained by 
time. The roof itself, to which rose the smoke of 
the offerings, now lies scattered in pieces on the 
ground, where formerly ran the blood of the beasts 
that were sacrificed. Of the richly-adorned dweller 
in this old marble fortress, the Zens of Phidias, 
there arc no longer any traces. The golden hair 
and mantle have served somewhere to fill the sack 
of the robber. In the interior they have placed 
tw<» old marble thrones, dug out of the earth. 

Here the King and Queen sit at the archaeolo- 
gical feasts which are celebrated. We thought of 
ourselves as in the times of the Athenian people, 
when at the fall of Creon they sent away their 
kings. Professor K., however, seated himself, with 
enthusiastic admiration for the ancients, on the 
King's throne, and now the long-cherished wish 

M 



162 ON THE WING. 

of our company was fulfilled. We had kept with 
great care, from the beginning of the journey, a 
flask of Austrian wine, which was now brought 
out, and its contents emptied in a toast for the 
Fatherland. Southern customs were blended with 
northern. Recorder K. sat like a bard of the old 
German times, his grey locks playing in the wind, 
upon the marble throne. We formed a circle 
around him, whereupon, in the inspiration of 
the moment, he broke out into an oration, with 
a clear resounding voice, and greeted the Father- 
land. We listened to his words with enthusiasm 
and emotion. It was a poetical moment, rendered 
so by the love of home, and yet more exciting from 
the surroundings. We had fulfilled our purpose 
of drinking the fruit of home vineyards, on the 
strongest fortification in Attica, whilst we should 
think with love of our beloved country. Before 
we put the juice of the wholesome Austrian grapes 
to our lips, I offered a libation to the mythological 
gods, whose wonderful art forms had once peopled 



ATHENS, L63 

these rooms, in presence of the remains of the 
old heroes, on the stone in front of the throne, 
according to old usage. Then each one took a 
mighty draught ; and I, to prevent future pro- 
fanation, dashed the flask on the marble. The 
Grecian officers, who accompanied us, looked at 
this scene with astonishment ; when it was ex- 
plained to them they stooped and picked up the 
remains of the broken flask as remembrances. It 
appeared that our patriotism aroused theirs. 

My brother could, unfortunately, not share in 
these festivities, a slight indisposition keeping 
him at home. 

From the Parthenon we went through a sea of 
ruins to the Erecthea. Upon a massive, but not 
very broad, wall of marble which encircled it were 
slender caryatides, which bore ornamented entabla- 
tures carved in stone upon their heads. The rich 
draperies of the dress, the thick wavy hair, and the 
feature - of these figures, gave a very strong 
impression of their excellence. The form and the 

m 2 



164 ON THE WING. 

rich ornaments of the picturesque little temple 
remind one, unwittingly, of the beautifully carved 
cabinets of the cinque cento. For these charming 
little works modern Greece has become famous, and 
has replaced some of the missing caryatides with 
new works in stone. In this temple also, as in all 
excepting that of Theseus, the roof was wanting, 
giving a still sharper outline to the ruins against 
the sky. The other side is leaning on the free- 
stone wall, by which the likeness to a cabinet is 
still more increased. On the other side of the 
wall is a tolerably large room, which on two 
sides is surrounded by beautiful Corinthian pillars. 
To which kind of Grecian pillar to give the pre- 
ference I do not quite know; but the Parthe- 
non, with its massive, yet slender forms, pleased 
me most. No scrolled work, no unnecessary or- 
naments spoiled the glorious impression. Here, 
as everywhere with what is great and beautiful, 
ornament is not needed to extract admiration 
and increase delight. 



1THENS. L65 

We turned our steps to the temple which was 
erected to both the guardians of ancient Athens — 
Minerva and Xeptune. But the serious majestic 
goddess who sprung forth from the head of Jove 
had the superiority over the wild %i water man," 
and the wise people of Athens preferred Minerva's 
present, the olive-tree, to Neptune's, the horse 
arising from the waves. The most beautiful of 
the remains of this temple is a richly ornamented 
entrance door ; and close to this, amongst the 
rocks, they showed us a hollow, from which 
Neptune, with his trident, had caused the stream 
to flow. The Grecian archa3ologist, a very 
amiable learned man, let us into a house, in which 
we found a valuable collection of dug-up vessels 
and other objects. The earthen vases of Gre< 
arc distinguished by their graceful, and yet simple, 
forms, and by their beautifully-marked red and 
black colours. Action and poetry are to be found 
in all the figures of the remains of* these times. 
It is worthy of remark thai "ii the lower side 



166 ON THE WING. 

of the mighty rocks opposite the sea stands the 
theatre of Herod, which is now slowly being 
given back to daylight from the bosom of the 
earth; and one already sees the old form of the 
circus, as it is so well to be seen in Yerona. It 
had been built by some Croesus, who lived in the 
happy times when people had, occasionally, too 
much money. It happened to him in this way : 
He had found a treasure which had already given 
him all the luxuries of life ; he did not know how 
to make use of the mass of gold, and turned in 
his difficulty to the Emperor Hadrian, who gave 
him the thought of building away his burden- 
some treasure. 

We left the Acropolis with the exalting idea of 
having seen the great, the everlasting ! "We felt 
ourselves nearer to the times when a Pericles lived, 
and entered into the spirit of those unrivalled 
artists and great men of Greece, whilst looking at 
the place where they had lived, and our souls 
seemed to take up the shadows of the forms of the 



ATHENS, 1G7 

Acropolis, as if unity and life still ruled in these 
spots, as if the smoke of the rich sacrifice still 
mounted to the undisturbed ether, and as if the 
shouts of the crowd, drunk with joy, still re- 
sounded over the eternally green luxuriant valley. 
From poetry we vent back to prose, and I had the 
not very agreeable task of receiving the diplomatic 
corps. Such tilings were cold douches upon the 
poetical fervour in which our hearts had rioted over 
the ancient glories. 

At half-past five I got on horseback, and accom- 
panied the Queen to take another cursory glance at 
Athens. The weather had become more gloomy. 
The neighbourhood, through which our light Ori- 
ental h arried us, offered a dull picture of 
melancholy. Bare and darkly-coloured hillocks 
gave the impression of tombs, when the glow 
of the bright sun was wanting. The olive-trees, 
with their dark grey foliage, brought no life to 
the leaden landscape, which soon opened into a 
broad valley. At the entrance of this, near the 



168 ON THE WING. 

trees, stood a little chapel, and before it lay blocks 
of stone, in wild confusion. 

Here it was that Byron wrote his poems, and it 
was here that the i Maid of Athens ' was composed. 
The extensive landscape which opens at this point 
mirrors the soul of the great poet — sadness and 
glowing longing, which, by a burning ray of sun, 
are inflamed into deep passion. But to-day the 
Grecian sun was not granted to colour these hills 
and broad plains with the enamelled colours of the 
South. Such days are not favourable to the glow- 
ing fire of poetry ; the love-sick heart of the poet 
can only sing on such as these in melancholy tones. 
It was a picture of the languid, not of the victorious 
Byron. Only in one spot in the far distance hope 
gleamed upon this sad picture. A small white 
church, surrounded by a few houses and luxuriant 
trees, comforted the eyes. I heard, with pleasure, 
that a colony of retired German soldiers had lived 
there. 

For the admirers of old buildings two aqueducts 



ATHENS. 1 GO 

are the most remarkable objects in this valley. 
They date from the Reman times, and are built 
of tiles. The greatest part of the pillars time has 
already destroyed. What is remarkable in these 
two aqueducts, and causes most astonishment at 
the way in which the architect has caused nature 
to bow to his will, is that in the same valley they 
run in contrary directions. The object of these 
constructions has ceased, and the pillars stand now 
as sorrowful reminiscences of past culture. At a 
small expense these aqueducts might be restored, 
which would bring new life to the poverty-stricken 
country. 

Scarcely had we left these ruins, when tolerably 
heavy rain came on. The Queen put up her 
umbrella, the horses were started off at a quick 
trot, and we went hastily to a neighbouring house 
belonging to one of the Royal bailiffs, which stood 
at the edge of a small stream. "We were delighted 
to observe some fruit-trees and fields of clover near 
it. We left our horses in the couri of the German- 



170 ON THE WING. 

built house. The Queen showed us with some 
pride a magnificent dairy, which provides cream 
for those who drink coffee in the German fashion. 
At the Court also we had nothing to complain of in 
the milk, which generally in Southern lands is so 
obnoxious to Northerners. 

The broad luxurious foliage of a few plants of 
vine before the bailiff's room protected us from the 
rain. The Queen, who had gained an excellent 
appetite from the quick ride, asked the woman 
of the house to bake some pancakes, which we 
consumed in a little dark room. Meanwhile car- 
riages came from Athens, and we got home dry. 
Our toilets were made in haste, and we went to 
dinner, at which Captain 0. was presented to the 
Queen by our resident Consul, Count J. 

As the lively Queen found that we had had too 
little exercise that day, we played after dinner at 
" k la guerre." The whole company endeavoured to 
display their talents for the game, which many did 
in a very comical manner, so that it was easy for the 



ATHENS. 171 

practised billiard player, Dr. F., to win. With this 
triumph of Viennese skill, the day ended. 

The following morning my brother and I visited 
once more, in the company of Count C. and Bc- 
corder Iv. and our allotted adjutant, the noble 
Temple of Theseus, whose choice treasures of art 
in the interior we had not yet sufficiently exa- 
mined. This morning we could see it all at our 
leisure, without being disturbed by our less enthu- 
siastic companions (we make an exception of Pro- 
fessor G. also). We were much indebted to the 
learned, agreeable explanations of the Greek archae- 
ologist. The most remarkable of the various 
objects in the temple room is the bas-relief of a 
hero figure of the time of Xerxes ; it represents 
Aristion, a relation of Theseus. Of this rare 

vt nir they had taken a little care, and had 
hidden it under a glass ease from the effects of tin 
air. One sees, from the profile of this hero, how, 

o in early times, they had a feeling for art in 
G . ;md if by Ha 1 side df later creations tlii> 



172 ON THE WING. 

work appears stiff, yet one can see that a people 
who, in their infancy, knew how to mould such 
forms, must be destined to have a glorious future. 
The features and limbs of the figure are rigid and 
unformed, and we might conclude from them how 
the spark of art had passed from the old, serious, 
strong Egyptians to the youthful Greek nation, and 
there had first expanded under the influence of a 
happy and powerful nature to its sublime and uni- 
versally-admired results. When we leave these 
oldest recollections of Grecian sculpture, we find 
near them numerous monuments which, by their 
rich ideas, and by their skilful execution, remind 
us of the prime of Hellas; for after the granite 
and other hardly- worked materials of the Egyptian 
school, with its cold stiff forms, the soft white 
marble of the Penthelicon breathed a new life into 
the youthful efforts. Already the artist has united 
scenes from real life with mythological faith, and 
raised the mystic veil; so the spectator finds an 
expression of the thought which fills it. The 



ATHENS. 173 

figures of the dying on the monument are always 
in a sitting posture, and covered with a veil, em- 
blematical of the separation from the world. 
Around them stand the relations and friends, who 
are endeavouring by their prayers to prevent the 
parting. Is it a mother dying, surrounded by her 
family? The artist places a child on her knee, 
holding a bird in its hand, by which is typified the 
fleeting soul of the mother. Many of these monu- 
ments are preserved, and the various figures on 
them are not emblematical ; they arc real flesh and 
blood, covered with the richest draperies. 

Anvngst the remaining objects, another sarco- 
phagus and an excellent statue are worthy of 
notice. This latter represents a young man, whom 
they pointed out to us as Apollo — I do not know 
whether it was correctly named, but the figure was 
not unworthy of the God. A colossal statue, in 
Egyptian dress, bears the marks of a later date in 
the manner of its carving. The archaeologist told us 
it represented Antinous, the favourite of Hadrian. 



174 ON THE WING. 

It was found upon the field of Marathon. I can 
easily believe that this work belonged to those 
Eoman times, for it wanted the delicate moulding 
of Greek art. In the colonnade of Hadrian, where 
we now entered, curiosities are kept in the first 
room, amongst which we found several more monu- 
ments of the kind I have described. 

We also paid one more visit to the Temple of 
the Winds, which had interested me greatly through 
the archaeologist's explanations. As I have already 
remarked, an aqueduct leads to this building, 
whose now dried-up waters once flowed so regu- 
larly round a bronze statue of Neptune that it 
formed the centre of a clock-work on which figures 
appeared according to the course of the hours, and 
whose age and size increased with the number of 
the hour. In the first division a child appeared, with 
a horn of plenty filled with buds ; in the second, a 
maiden with opening buds; and in the third, a 
figure of a woman with full-blown flowers. In this 
temple, also, we found a sun-dial, at the southern 



ATIir.NS. IT-") 

polo of which a line showed that the course of the 
earth has not changed in the least during two 
thousand years, for to-day the rays of the sun at 
uoon still cast the shadow of the iron rod upon this 
stone memorial. 

Let into the division of the octagon are several 

;t bas-reliefs, representing the various winds and 
their peculiarities. The cold, or hurtful ones, have 
old bearded countenances, in order to depict the 
inclemencies of the elements. The soft winds of 
spring appear in the forms of youths. They are 
barefooted, by which is intended to show how 
lightly they pass over the flowery carpet of newly- 
awakened nature. Many of these figures cany 
musical instruments in their hands, as signs of 
th<ir sweetness; others bear flowers and fruits, 

wing that they called these forth. The wind 
most disliked by the Athenians holds a large shell 
before its mouth, emblematical of its roaring. 

From the Temple of the Winds we wont to a 
chamber, turned by the Turks into a steam-bath, 



176 ON THE WING. 

which now contains the plaster casts of all the 
treasures of art no longer in Greece. Amongst 
others are the bas-reliefs stolen by Lord Elgin from 
the Parthenon. Old England was good enough to 
send these to the Greeks, in order to remind them 
of what they had lost. From hence we passed on to 
the so-called Market Gate, which properly, with a 
few shortened pillars, encircles the remains of the 
Temple of Minerva. The present name of this 
portico is falsely given. 

We also visited the Catholic church near these 
ruins. It is small, and in the highest degree un- 
presentable, so that on this point we were surpassed 
by the Anglicans, who had built themselves a very 
pretty little Gothic church, whilst the Catholics had 
only a former mosque. 

At one o'clock we drove with the Queen in a 
char-a-banc to the mountains. We were, how- 
ever, soon met by the Eoyal horses, on which we 
must needs climb the steep part of the way. The 
weather was very favourable to us to-day, so that 



ATHENS. 177 

the interesting mountain-passes looked more 
picturesque than ever. Of cultivation it was 
entirely deficient ; yet the fresh green of the 
pine-trees shone between the masses of stone, 
and over the hare yellow earth. Our horses were 
soon obliged to begin to climb over the slippery 
rocks. When we had gained the first of the 
heights we were welcomed by the " zitos " of the 
inhabitants of the little village of Cupia, who had 
come to meet us. We had passed by this small 
place in the valley, now far in the distance. It 
was a pretty picturesque spot, vegetation had 

i planted with much trouble in its rocky 
neighbourhood, and it did the eyes good to rest 
on the green amid the grey masses. 

The joy of the people, on seeing the Queen, 
was so great, and so noisy, that her horse took 
fright and shied. The costume of the villagers 

mbled that of Eleusis. The further we jour- 
neyed into the country, and the higher we climbed, 
the more oriental and more primitive did the land 

N 



178 ON THE WING. 

and its inhabitants become. They are a hearty, 
independent race of men, strong in their fixed 
belief, powerful in body and mind; and, there- 
fore, easy and dignified in their bearing, and 
graceful in their movements. If the craftiness 
of the ancient Greeks, and the slyness of the 
slave, did not appear in this unfettered people, I 
should compare them with the steadfast Tyrolese. 
This gloomy shadow throws an unpleasing darkness 
over the shepherds of this mountain peninsula. 
Owing to these mountain-spurs, which make har- 
bours on the shore of the sea, the people have 
acquired the cunning of the traders. The warlike 
sanguinary mind which enabled them, protected as 
they were by their rocky fortresses, to chase the 
enemy with long-nourished vengeance from their 
country was not, as with the Tyrolese, settled 
peacefully after the hardly won victory. The 
strife was too long and fierce, and, combined 
with the cunning elements of their character, has 
degenerated into robbery, from which violence 



ATHENS, 170 

even such great expeditions as we were making 
seemed not to be quite secure, for we saw gens 
(Varmcs to-day, placed at several points of the 

road. 

Though the Queen assured us that this zeal 
was unnecessary, I believe such precautions were 
not taken without reason. Already the path had 
become narrower, owing to the various obstacles 
of rock and stone. But the Queen, accustomed to 
such hindrances, from her frequent journeys into 
the interior, scampered lightly over them, and 
we soon arrived at still steeper heights, pictu- 
[uely covered with pine-trees and rocky crags ; 
then we presently descended by a path, which in 
our country we should not dignify by such a 
name, and here the horses knew how to advance, 
mounting or sliding, as required. The nearer we 
fame to our goal, the old border fortress of Phila, 
the wilder and narrower became the road, and 
the more varied the forms of the rocks. Every- 
where tli." homely pine-trees were to be seen. 



180 ON THE WING. 

These places reminded me of our Salzkammer- 
gut and our Tyrol. 

We were still obliged to ride over rough, stony 
flats, between a wall of rock, a steep precipice, 
and pass a hollow defile in sight of the for- 
tress. 

At last we found ourselves at the end of our 
charming journey ; the weather was most beau- 
tiful, and the ruins of the fortress lay on the 
further point of a tolerably broad plateau, over- 
grown with luxuriant vegetation. These ruins 
are composed of a not very long square wall of 
colossal plain freestone; at the corners are placed 
four towers, of which one is round, which proves 
that the Greeks already knew how to build 
round walls. 

Phila was the refuge of the thirty tyrants, in 
which they fortified themselves, to escape the 
anger of the Athenians. We see from this that 
the idea of a strong refuge does not date only 
from the middle ages. These thirty gentlemen 



ATHENS. 181 

could contemplate the town of Athens, from their 
eagle's nest, through the cutting in the mountain, 
so dangerous to them, with its dazzling back- 
ground of the azure mirror of the sea. The 
chains of the tyrants arc broken, the protecting 
Avails decayed ; and now the peaceful ivy, the 
usual mantle of the dead, weaves a luxuriant 
green network over the ruins. The much-dreaded 
castle has become a romantic object for an ex- 
cursion. 

The view of Athens, of Acropolis, and the 
noble sea was truly bewitching; between the dark 
masses of the mountain, it looked like a miniature 
set in a frame. 

After the horses were rested we set off again 
on the neck-breaking stony path, which stretched 
it -elf along the mountains and the small valley; 
but we soon left the road we had come by, in 
order to go through, if possible, still greater 
equestrian dangers. 

We went over the ridge of the mountain, and 



182 ON THE WING. 

again descended by a path which might per- 
haps make a good footing for chamois. Before 
ns opened the narrow defile, aronnd ns stretched 
rocks buried amidst low underwood, and we 
balanced on our half- stepping, half-sliding horses 
from stone to stone along the steep precipice. 
One false step of the eager animal, and the un- 
happy victim is the child of death ! These are 
the pleasure rides of the curious Europeans in old 
Hellas, the former sanctuary of civilization and 
progress. The defile continued to grow narrower. 
In vain my eyes searched for the walls of the 
convent, which was to be the aim of our past 
dangers. Instead of that I discovered that those 
of the caravan who were behind the Queen, my 
brother and myself, seemed to have observed the 
danger in which we were, for both northern and 
southern riders, of whose boldness we had so often 
heard, had dismounted, and were leading their 
horses comfortably by the bridle. They preferred 
tiring their own limbs, to hovering in the air 



\ 



ATHENS. 183 

ever the precipices. For dear life's sake this was 
surely better, but, as we saw that the heroic 13a si - 
lissa did not fear the danger, my brother and I 
remained in our saddles. The most remarkable 
spot was still in store for ns. 

As I cannot say the path, I will use the ex- 
pression, our direction, was now to reach the 
bottom of the ravine. The place where we had 
to turn was the projection of a rock, on which a 
horse could only just stand. The Queen's horse 
arrived on this dizzy point ; then the noble lady 
niie suddenly aware of the danger. Neither 
horse nor rider wished to go forward; but one 
step backwards, and she would be dashed down 
the precipice. The situation was fearful ; but 
tli" helping hand of the Queen's equerry arrived, 
who led the horse forward by the bridle; after 
whom wo ;i1sm happily passed this terrible place. 
We could now see the end of the pass, in which 
water flowed; but where was the convent? The 
world seemed nailed up in boards; where should 



184 ON THE WING. 

we now discover the work of men's hands between 
rocks and pines in this primitive nature? We 
suddenly saw, at the turning of the path, that the 
direction we had taken was cut off at the end of 
the valley by a little wall between the overhang- 
ing masses of rock. But where were we to find 
the convent? The defile coming to an end, the 
little wall could only be considered as a barrier 
in the road. The riddle became more and more 
exciting. We stood before the wooden gate of 
the wall; the hinges creaked, and we found our- 
selves, all at once, as by the stroke of a magic 
wand, in a romantic, lovely picture of peaceful 
loneliness— the convent court. Without, threat- 
ened the wilderness; within, spread a large vine, 
like a tender guard over the quiet rest of prayer. 
Only the clear blue eye of heaven had entrance 
into this refuge of pious souls. 

The day's ride may, perhaps, have been the type 
of the life of many of the monks. He leaves the 
homely hearth, where he lived during his happy 



ATHENS. L85 

childhood, amongst the flowers of the garden; he 

s forth into the world, which represents itself 
to him as a broad valley, bounded, in the far dis- 
tance, by picturesque mountains. lie steps boldly 
forward ; the road is so smooth, the homes of guar- 
dians and friends so near ; but the mountains 
attract him, he wishes to climb to the glittering 
blue heights in the distance. He approaches the 
base. " The work is easy," he says inwardly, 
"for my eyes can overlook the road, and reach 
from the beginning to the end." But the poor 
soul forgets the feet which must carry it ; it for- 
gets that the foot can slip, that there arc heights 
and precipices below. He follows the senses, and 
trusts to the firmness of his step. The valley 
becomes narrower ; the plains begin to rise ; pointed 
rucks spring forth out of the earth ; but the danger 
is still not imminent. He steps bravely onward. 
The sun rises in the firmament, and throws glow- 
ing cays. The path becomes rougher. The wan- 
derer begins to look down on precipices. At first 



186 ON THE WING. 

it heightens his pleasure. He sees a village before 
him ; the inhabitants come to meet him with re- 
joicings. His pride increases ; but he is not satis- 
fied. He passes by the last settlement of friendly 
man ; he is driven boisterously onward. He de- 
sires fame ; he must climb the fortress ; he must 
see regions only inhabited by eagles. He despises 
danger, because he already sees the longed-for 
object in the far-off distance. The defiles become 
narrower, the heights more giddy. He strives 
upwards; he has reached the goal, and finds the 
ruins of fallen greatness; then, for the first time, 
he is overcome by fatigue. His head turns before 
the fearful abyss; in sad despair he wanders in 
the wilderness. His wishes are baffied, his hopes 
broken. The danger grows more threatening, 
every step more fatal. His path continues to 
ascend, and approaches even nearer to the preci- 
pice ; then he steps upon a point of the rock. 
He is surrounded by rough desert ; the fresh vege- 
tation has ceased, and he stands alone in a sea 



ATHENS. 187 

i f grey stones. Now his courage fails him ; he 
is maddened ; the danger has reached the highest 
degree. He sees a wall, with a closed gate ; with 
a penitent heart he falls powerless on the threshold. 
He knocks, and knows not what will be opened 
to him. The hinges creak, and the tired wan- 
derer finds himself in the quiet cloister. The 
vine spreads its branches, casting a cool shadow ; 
the little church invites him to prayer and re- 
pentance ; and serious friends stretch out their 
hands to him, and take him into their peaceful 
heme. 

This convent, the recollection of which yet causes 
emotion in me, is, as I have already remarked, 
surrounded with a wall, and hangs, like the nest 
swallow, upon the rocky projection of the 
stony mountain. The small inner space is so well 
arranged that it would do honour to the best 
English travel ling-bag. Small stone houses, which 
present the mosi faithful pictures of mortification, 
find ;i plaa against the rock- and in the wall. 



188 ON THE WING. 

In the small court there is a somewhat raised 
terrace, which, under a rich roof of grapes, brings 
a picturesque element into the whole interior. 

Beyond this terrace is the small church, which 
forms the background. We entered it with the 
Queen. It bears the stamp of the Byzantine 
churches. A mysterious gloom reigns in it, which 
arises from the end of the church being hollowed 
out of the rocks. As we rested for a short time 
in the charming court, where nothing is to be 
seen of the neighbouring abyss, the caravans 
formed a pretty sketch for a genre painter in 
search of originality. Europe's faded, uninterest- 
ing dandy clothing, France's elegant riding habits, 
the rich costumes of modern Greece, were seen 
collected in an old Oriental cloister, which had 
been consecrated to renunciation of the world ! 
"We had seated ourselves on the stone. There was 
a rattling and a clatter in the low dark walls of 
the cloister, and a haggard, neglected figure of 
an old monk came forth among the merry young 



ATHENS. 180 

world with a cheerful countenance. The white 

beard of the feeble old man waved over a short 
dark caftan, and readied below the blue pantaloons 
to his knees. Legs and feet were clothed in white 
gs and black shoes. Upon his bent head was 
perched a kind of Persian cap. From his shoulders 
to his hands his arms were draped in white. 

As in the monasteries of the West, this monk 
brought us friendly gifts of nature, consisting of 
honey, bread, and grapes. We inquired where 
the rest of the bretln-en were, and were told that 
they were busy in the fields at work. Altogether, 
six (if them lived in this solitude. Their appoint- 
in nits are few and scanty, and if their dwellings 
are strangely contrasted with the rich abbeys of 
Austria, so their minds, in comparison with our 
proud Benedictines, are most simple. This sim- 
plicity suits with the rude wild country, and the 
ancient religious feeling which reigns here makes 
do slighter an impression than the higher know- 

_■■ of the convents of our Fatherland. 



190 ON THE WING. 

We again mounted our horses, and left the pass 
which had become so interesting to us, in order 
to visit a cavern at the end of it, where, so the 
Queen told us, some time ago the Austrian Am- 
bassador found a great treasure in old vases. We 
returned to the village of Cassia by a not less 
picturesque road. Here, on a charming flat, covered 
with pine-trees, we encamped, set up a small table 
and some camp-stools, and made a hearty meal. 
The place was lovely, and the rest did us good. 
I remarked that the uncultivated people of Greece, 
like their European brethren, took great pleasure 
in watching the meals of persons of high rank. I 
have often thought that they must imagine queens 
to eat in a different manner from ordinary beings, 
but here the interest was mutual, for we travellers 
were glad of the opportunity of observing the Gre- 
cian spectators. After we had broken up our 
camp, the Queen spoke in most charming Greek 
to the children in the crowd. 

We now again started on our road. As we 



ATHENS. 11)1 

passed over the plain, night overtook us, and a fresh 
sa ne was offered to our gaze. The moon appeared 
with her mild solemn face amidst a choir of stars. 
A- everything in the South is clearer, more fiery, 
and more inspiring, so the stars themselves twinkle 
more brightly and enchantingly there. In the 
N< >rth the moon seems to be supported by the blue 
of the heavens, whilst over the fields of Attica it 
appears as if it hovered in the free air, enabling 
the eye apparently to pierce further into the far 
unknown distance. So brightly did the stars shine 
through the night that the courageous Queen was 
able to set off' at full gallop to the capital, in spite of 
the bad roads. The carriages, which had come to meet 
us. were to my great delight not used, and, dashing 
quickly on, we came through the glorious Southern 
night-air to the royal castle. I confess, with 
admiration, that the brave Basilissa understands 
how to show her guests the beauties of her country, 
and teach them to prize its treasures. 

W, were tired by the long seven hours' ride, 



192 ON THE WING. 

but only in body, not in mind, and the glorious 
moonshine made us resolve, being now somewhat 
refreshed, to set our tired limbs again in motion. 
There was an enthusiastic insatiableness in our 
love of art, which prevented our confessing fatigue. 
" L'appetit vient en mangeant," and therefore 
the small number of the Phil-Hellenes and the 
admirers of antiquities were really happy at 
having this treat at the conclusion of this eventful 
day. Added to this enjoyment of the Grecian 
works of art we joined some malice, and amused 
ourselves with the despairing countenances of the 
prosaic lovers of comfort. 

The excellent dinner was hastily taken, and we 
threw ourselves, preceded by the Queen, into the 
carriage. During the drive we had an opportunity 
of admiring the clear pale moonlight shed over 
the landscape, thus showing how deserving we 
were of such a chandelier. All that was sublime 
was distinctly visible, whilst the bare deserts of 
earth lay in darkness. All colour had disappeared, 



ATHENS. 193 

giving one soft tone to the whole, so that the forms 
of the objects were only distinguishable by their 
shadows. 

Near the gate of the Acropolis, on the height, 
we very nearly fell victims to our love of art. The 
horses, not appearing to share in our enthusiasm, 
could not proceed up the sacred road (via sacra), 
and our carriage slid deliberately down the steep 
way to the precipice. The modern Greeks, who 
never drive carriages up these streets, did not care 
in the least to quiet our alarm ; no railing gave us 
the sweet delusion of being saved. The Queen 
then took the only remaining means of escape, and, 
amidst cries of despair, threw herself out of the 
carriage. The maid of honour, who had fainted from 
an emotion so unusual for a Greek, was thrown into 
the arms of a stout Bavarian footman. Charles and 
I saved on after the Queen's fashion. The 

riage, freed from our weight, was now kept from 
rolling back by the horses, and we entered the lofty 
of the temple of the god on foot. 

o 



194 ON THE WING. 

From the outer court we had our first magic 
glimpse of the sea converted into a silver mirror. 
My eyes always rest with exalted feelings upon 
the broad ocean, as when I first saw it lighted up 
by the Grecian full moon. I had always longed 
for, and dreamed of the South ; now my dream is 
realized and far surpassed. With what a proud 
feeling did I tread the brightly shining steps of 
the Propylseum, whose columns stood like giants 
of the times of the gods ! Black and square the 
plain French tower rose from the dark ground ; 
small, yet beautifully sublime, the Temple of Vic- 
tory hovered between the sea and the deep blue 
heavens like a fancy from a dream. Nobly 
towered the great Parthenon, as though it had 
risen at the command of a deity. Lightly the 
Caryatides supported the temple of the nymph 
Erecthea. Everything — so beautiful, so great, so 
fantastic, and everything in ruins ! Involun- 
tarily the thought came across my mind, as I stood 
amongst these ruins lit up by the moon, " Here 
lies the churchyard of History." 



ATHENS. 



195 



Five national epochs had revolved over this 
place, and now the first of these still fills us with 
admiration. The deep poetry which lies in the 
W< 'i'ks of Greece could never be breathed by them 
into any other people. The Roman is great, but 
oppressively heavy ; the Frenchman is angular, 
strong, and stout ; whilst among the Turks, cruel, 
fanatical destructiveness is shown by their bald 
skulls. 

"With the genius of enthusiasm, the Queen led 
us to an admirably-chosen point of view, from 
whence we could contemplate the isolated buildings 
in all their magnificence. As Queen of the Hellenes, 
Bhe looks upon the glory which rests on these 
great works as part of her inheritance. 

I could have stayed for hours at these various 

points of view, lost in my own thoughts, but the 

ipany was too numerous, and there was too 

much insignificant nature mingled amongst us. 

1 had a feeling as if I could here write poetry — 

Longing and high feeling. We climbed 

o 2 



196 ON THE WING. 

upon the last peak of the richly-laden rock, from 
whence we could see the new town. It lay in 
peaceful stillness, and only the lighted windows 
showed that life existed there. As when a young 
child seats itself at the foot of the throne of its re- 
nowned ancestors, so it lay there, and the Basilissa, 
standing hy our side, is the bond uniting the pre- 
sent with the past. We separated with full hearts, 
and my soul was possessed by thoughts of other 
times. 

The Queen, in order to try the patience of the 
party, now went, to my great joy, on towards the 
Areopagus, upon the rock from whence the holy 
St. Paul had preached to the Athenians of the 
Unknown God. Here also it was heavenly. The 
Queen tripped as merrily over the blocks of stone 
as though she had been reposing the whole day, 
to the great displeasure of the lovers of ease, who 
would much rather have been dreaming of rosy 
champagne, between soft eider-down quilts. 

As we left the Areopagus we suddenly saw, on 



ATHENS. 197 

the side towards the sea, a glorious falling star, 
so large that it seemed as if the moon was dropping 
into the waves. It changed colour from green to 
red, and left a long streak of flame behind it. 

We re-entered our ominous carriage, and drove 
to the Columns of Jupiter. They arc all large, 
like everything that is Eoman, but wanted that 
lovely poetic breath of the Grecian works. It is 
splendour without grace. 

Through the Gate of Hadrian we returned to the 
royal palace. Every moment I wished myself back 
in the "churchyard of History," although I had 
b< en in motion the whole day. I shall remember 
this evening, and the Basilissa, as long as I live. 



198 



CHAPTEE V. 

A VISIT TO THE MOSQUE IN SMYRNA. 

The first morning in Asia Minor, the first in the 
Ottoman empire, smiled on ns joyfully. Before us 
lay the East, with its wealth, its vegetation, its 
thousand dazzling appeals to the senses. The 
blossoms of Asia opened before us ; our long- 
cherished dreams were realized. 

On a slight elevation by the sea stood the town, 
with its innumerable houses mingled in a confu- 
sion of colours and forms. Slender minarets, the 
sign-posts of Mahometanism, lifted their peculiarly 
graceful architecture by the side of the cupolas 
of the mosques. Eich forests of cypresses on the 



A VISIT TO THE MOSQUE IX SMYRNA, 199 

height overshadow the graves of the Turks in 

quiet majestic solemnity. Upon the highest point, 
as on a terrace, were the ruins of a strong fortress, 
which is ascribed to Alexander the Great in this 
country, so rich in historical recollections. In the 
background rose the mountain-range, with its 
thousandfold varied outlines, enclosing the clear 
gulf like a half-moon, and forming on its shores 
the greenest declivities and valleys, from whence 
peeped forth a few solitary settlements. 

The most beautiful of the valleys led the brave 
hero Richard Cceur de Lion in olden days to fame. 
Its name is Cordelion. On the other shore one of 
the Turkish fortresses was to be seen on a small 
promontory; and above all this magnificence rises 
the blue cloudless azure. Each minaret, each 
cypress, each beautifully-arched cupola, each bril- 
liantly-coloured house, was a revelation for us and 
excited our curiosity. We accounted ourselves 
blessed when at length the boat was let down the 
side of the ship, and we rose over the waves by 



200 ON THE WING. 

powerful strokes with the oar, and approached the 
magic coast. 

The expression of the spiritual, the embodiment 
of high ideas, is the first thing a traveller should 
seek in a strange place. In this frame of mind the 
solemn minaret and the mosque were our first 
points in the wonderful Asiatic land. 

Dazzled and confused by the multitude of delights, 
we passed through the streets and bazaars to a 
raised square in the outskirts, where stands the 
Mosque of Kiltgezagi. In front of the entrance- 
steps to the raised terrace, formerly the foundation 
of the building, is a well, surrounded by trees, 
which gives to the whole an impression of fresh- 
ness and life. It is a pretty thought that at the 
steps of the house of God should be offered that 
rare refreshment in the Eastern climate, trees and 
water. 

The mosque, consisting of one great arched 
cupola, stands in the raised place, surrounded by 
a stone parapet. To the right rises the slender 



A VISIT TO THE MOSQUE IN SMTENA. 201 

minaret, in the interior of which a small dark 
staircase leads to a gallery running out in a point 
to the end. From this, five times a day, the 
muezzin calls to prayer. The minaret, as well 
as the mosque, appears to be built of a grey 
sandstone. Before the three entrances stretch a 
flight of stairs, which lead, now, to a terrace that 
serves as a place for the preparatory prayer 
breathed by the Mahometans before entering 
the mosque. Over the centre door rises a little 
tower, with a low balcony, from whence the Iman 
intones his prayers. 

The Consul excused our taking off our shoes 
at the entrance, thus permitting us to commit 
sacrilege, according to Mahometan ideas. Full 
of expectation, we entered the consecrated part of 
the building, and were reminded every moment of 
the " periwig" style of churches. Bows of columns 
divide the place into three parts; above the centre 
and largest of these rises the cupola. The walls 
and the columns are adorned with gold and coloured 



202 ON THE WING. 

ornaments, but the grounding is white. In several 
portions of the building texts from the Koran are 
painted. In the middle of the wall, opposite the 
door, is the place where the superior Iman, the 
shepherd of Turkish souls, offers up the principal 
prayers. The wall behind this is covered, with 
great profuseness, with gold decorations; and the 
ground is spread here, as elsewhere, with rich 
carpets. The rest of the marble flooring is fur- 
nished with reed-matting, an arrangement which 
was very advantageous for the Christian knees 
and feet. 

In the place where in our churches the altar 
generally stands hung three pictures; the centre 
piece represented the Grave of the Prophet. To 
the right we saw Medina, and to the left Mecca, 
with its minarets and cupolas. These pictures are 
drawn in a peculiar, and not wholly unsuccessful, 
aerial perspective. The material appears to be a 
kind of water, or body coloirr. These sketches 
of the Mahometan holy places are the only pic- 



A VISIT TO THE MOSQUE IX SMYRNA. 20 3 

tores over painted by Turks, for the believers 
of the true faith are forbidden to represent any- 
thing else, according to the strict commands of 
the Koran. This may have been one of the reasons 
why, in Europe, we have remained so long in the 
dark regarding the customs and usages of the 
domestic life of the Turks, because the Mahometan 
Colossus preserved itself from foreign influences by 
forbidding the possession of portraits, or of reli- 
gious or genre pictures. These commands and pro- 
hibitions of the wise Prophet, and his expositions 
or doctrines, united in dividing, as with a wall 
built of a thousand stones, the unbelievers from 
the members of his flock. 

But a change is dawning even in these dis- 
tricts. The idea of religious obedience is con- 
sidered a laughable annoyance, winch must be 
opposed. They begin to pull out the smaller stones 
from the well-cemented wall, and forget that the 
largi r must tall out also, as a necessary conse- 
CTnder the title of abuses, they begin to 



204 ON THE WING. 

put aside everything not absolutely and imme- 
diately necessary, until the props requisite for the 
support of the whole are taken ' away, and the en- 
tire structure is overthrown, with full consciousness 
of what is being done on the part of some, and to 
the astonishment of others of the innovators. 

To the right of this place, adorned with pic- 
tures, a small flight of steps leads into a little 
tower, supported by four pillars. The entrance 
to this small, elegantly -built guard-house is closed 
by a red hanging curtain. A roof, running into a 
point, rises high above the principal wall, and 
bears, at its outer end, for a protection to the little 
building, the Crescent, that once formidable sym- 
bol of the Mahometans, which mowed down 
mercilessly both races and people like a sickle. 
In this richly-ornamented lofty little house, it is 
the duty of the Iman to pray for the welfare of 
the Sultan. This custom is very suitable in an 
absolute monarchy, where the chief is also head 
of the Church ; for, naturally, it must make a great 



A VISIT TO THE MOSQUE IX SMYRNA. 205 

impression on the people to know that their ruler 
has a place of his own, separated from all others; 
and it is only the priest who is able to climb, 
as on a Jacob's ladder, into these exalted regions, 
from whence, as from the clouds, he allows the 
people to hear his prayer for the successor of 
Mahomet. 

Opposite this little tower, on the left side of 
the wall, is a rich white and gold ornamented 
pulpit. Here the Mahometan book of books, or 
rather the only book known to them, is read. 
All these details of the mosque have great simi- 
larity with those of our Chinch. The richly- 
adorned little building reminds one of the pyx. 
The pulpit is just like ours, even in form and 
ornaments ; and our choir we recognize over the 
entrance gate; only, instead of the organ, there 

i large grated division, where the Sultan attends 
the service. As we mounted the choir we natu- 
rally found that this partition was locked. In 
this arrangement a proof of good judgment is oh- 



206 ON THE WING. 

servable; the pious people imagine their ruler 
present, though his person is hidden from their 
inquiring gaze, which excites their curiosity, and 
nourishes a mysterious worship in the multitude. 

The great number of lamps is worthy of notice. 
Ostrich eggs and stags' antlers hang about the 
mosque, and preserve the real motley Oriental 
charm. The question naturally arises, what ostrich 
eggs and stags' antlers have to do in the house of 
God. We put this question, and learned another 
piece of Mahometan superstition — the faithful hang 
these objects in their mosque to hinder the inju- 
rious praise of the unbeliever doing them any hurt. 
Thus, when a Christian enters the mosque, and 
praises the beauty of the building, or the magni- 
ficence of the interior, his admiring wandering 
gaze must fall on these appendages, and the mis- 
fortune which might result from his admiration is 
averted. This belief, strange as it may seem, does 
not harm the general effect made on the spectator. 

The impression made by the mosque, with its 



A VISIT TO THE MOSQUE IN SMYRNA. 207 

rows of pillars and its cupolas, is exalting, peace- 
ful, and grand. Nothing repulsive meets the eye 
of a Christian : no overladen ostentation, no marked 
plainness puts the visitor into a bad humour. Only 
one treasure is missed by the Christian — it is the 
altar. This comforting place for an oppressed soul 
is wanting in the temple of the Mahometans, and 
it is this want which renders the service cold and 
uninteresting to us. The unity is wanting — the 
Sacrifice including every prayer. From this arises 
an emptiness in the house of God. The thought 
is forced upon one that one could pray equally well 
at home— that no synagogue, no mosque, no church 
is necessary. It is the Jew who feels this most 

ugly. His temple is destroyed, his altar broken, 
the pearl of his religion robbed, and, being able 
only to sacrifice in Zion, he feels a helpless yearn- 
ing after the former happiness of the Patriarchs. 

It was given to us, the disciples of the Messiah, 
to find, in the most magnificent cathedral, as in the 

11 3t chap . tiling higher than ever was 



208 ON THE WING. 

present in the wonderful building of Solomon. 
Therefore we search sadly in the churches of dif- 
ferent believers for the honoured place, to which 
the eyes of the praying multitude are turned during 
the holy office. 

Though it was Friday — the Turkish Sunday — 
there was no service going on in the mosque : it 
was too early an hour, and no worshipper had 
arrived. A kind of Iman took us round. He wore 
a turban, a striped silken caftan with a sash, and 
an overcoat. To this dress was added an indolent 
face, with a yellow skin, and a long beard, forming 
quite a characteristic picture. 

As we left the mosque to ascend the minaret we 
saw a Turk, deep in prayer, lying on the terrace 
appointed for preparatory prayer. He knelt on a 
carpet, which it was the custom for all to bring. 
His dress consisted of a crimson draped caftan 
and a snow-white turban. His shoes he had taken 
off and laid near him ; in his hands he twisted the 
Oriental much-loved string of round beads. From 



A VISIT TO THE MOSQUE TX SMYRNA. 200 

his brown visage, over his breast, hung a snow- 
white heard; his eyes were east down in deep 
prayer; his features were serene and contemplative. 
It was a striking picture. Only from time to time 
lie gazed painfully and anxiously about, and, dis- 
turbed perl laps by our loud conversation, his dark 
fanatical eyes rested for a moment upon us. As 
lie observed the curiosity and the contempt of the 
unbelievers, he burst forth into a heartrending 
cry. and sang his devotions softly, whining sadly. 
It was not the expression of cold ironical reproach 
against the curious Christians, but rather the pitiful 

.ret, a cpiiet lament over the sacrilege which it 
probably appeared to him we had committed. 

Filled with emotion, pity, and esteem for this 
pious worshipper, we left the place, and ascended 
the little dark stone stairs which led to the mina- 
ret. We did not mount up the whole way, but left 
the minaret and its mysterious stairs by a little 
exit, in order to visit the side roofs of the mosque. 
I :n this point we could see Smyrna beautifully — 

p 



210 ON THE WING. 

the proud princess of the East. The beauties of 
nature were greater than the beauty of the build- 
ings raised by the hand of man. Far away ex- 
tended the exquisite plains of silvery blue, and 
majestically the crowned head rested, with its 
coloured star-like adornments, upon the green 
pillow. In the middle of the sea of houses the 
little place at our feet was distinguished as par- 
ticularly bustling and lively, it being the outlet 
between the bazaar, streets, and the mosque. 

The place was filled with men of different cos- 
tumes and complexions, staring at the unbelieving 
guests, in whose honour the Pasha had ordered 
troops before the mosque. As we looked with 
interest at the crowd at our feet, we suddenly 
heard a curious ringing of bells. We awaited 
what should happen. Suddenly the crowd sepa- 
rated, and we saw a brown mass move in solemn 
uniform step. It was a procession of a peculiar 
nature — a procession of the Thousand and One 
Nights — a picture, or rather a succession of pic- 



A VISIT TO THE MOSQUE IX SMYRNA. 211 

hires, like those painted by Horace Vernct— a 
vision which the most glowing fancy could not 
paint, or the most flowing pen describe ; for snch 
tilings as we saw are only to be found in the East, 
in the fields of Asia, in the rich, bustling bazaars of 
Smyrna, Damascus, and Bagdad — only where the 
bw< rd of Mahomet governs, where the palms blossom, 
and the Crescent glitters through the wilderness. 
It consisted of camels, richly laden with merchan- 
dise and fruit. They appeared to us as heralds, or 
representatives, from the ancient world. 

This animal, which carries the family of the 
needy Arab across the sandy deserts like a ship, 
which gives him milk for his simple meal, which 
serves him as a protecting wall against the simoom, 
and, in extreme need, falls as a victim in order to 
unlock to his master the hidden cellar — does not 
stranger ask wonderingly why this animal, one 
of the most useful which God created, should be so 
ugly, bo alarmingly hideous? The answer must 
• the really useful and competent in this 

!• 2 



212 



ON THE WING. 



world often appear in a low and rough exterior. 
Everything is peculiar in this animal. Staggering, 
but not without dignity, the soft spongy foot steps 
upon the hot ground ; the serpent-like head 
stretches far out on the lean neck; the heavily- 
laden hump rises in a high arch, like a barren 
shapeless mountain. Now passive, now furious, is 
the wise eye. The hide is as thick as brawn, yet 
the whole misshapen body is colourless. In a little 
while these sons of the desert had disappeared in 
the streets. 

We returned to the minaret, after we had gone 
over the roof and seen the interior of the cupola, 
by a gallery which runs around it, and has so low 
an edge that any one who suffers from giddiness 
should refrain from inspecting the mosque from a 
bird's-eye view. When we quitted the building, 
our praying Turk had vanished from the outer 
court ; probably he had already entered the mosque. 
We left the terraced heights, and mixed in the 
varied life of the bazaar. 



213 



CHAPTER VI. 

A VISIT TO TILE SLAVE-MARKET OF SMYRNA. 

We had wandered for some time hither and thither 
in the busy, cheerful bazaar, when I tnrncd to my 
dragoman, with the question, " Where is the Slave 
Market ?" He was confused, and answered that it 
existed no longer in Smyrna. As I had heard the 
contrary, I was naturally not satisfied with this 
answer, and bent my steps to the office of our 
Consul, who told me that the Turks pretend 
to the Christians that it no longer exists, feel- 
ing a kind of shame at this barbarous sale of 
human beings. I thought to myself, however, 
that we would not, out of consideration for the 



214 ON THE WING. 

Mussulman, forbear to visit so interesting a spot, 
and stood firm to my wish. One of the officers 
of the Consulate then gave us a sign to enter a 
certain gate ; we understood him, and followed 
in his steps. Under the cover of an archway, 
which went under the house, were the slave-dealers, 
in rich Turkish dress. They were smoking their 
pipes and narghiles, leaning against the wall, with 
a cold, almost idiotic, expression. By their side 
stood a few male slaves, covered by white linen 
cloths and brown-stuff rags. 

These black men withdrew themselves from our 
curious gaze with mute quietness. Their features 
are repulsive, their figures lean and feeble, yet 
their bearing, like that of all Southerners, is easy, 
and almost noble. From the gate we now entered 
the minor court. Here a picture of the most dis- 
tressing misery and sorrow lay before us. 

Upon the miry, dusty ground lay groups of 
half-naked, dark-coloured negro women. They 
were placed by fives and sixes on reed-mats, in 



A VISIT TO Till: 8LAVE-MAEKET OF SMYIiNA. 215 

various artistic attitudes. Tlicir scanty clothing 
consisted of bluish-green coverlets, in which they 
hid their lean bodies as well as they could. Seve- 
ral of them had bound up their woolly hair in 
cloths. All was dark and darker in this horrible 
place. The complexions of the men, their dresses, 
the ground, the scanty plants covering the neigh- 
bouring ruinous huts, everything had an air of 
horror. 

A few of the women laughed, with a grinning 
stupid expression, and made comical movements 
with their long hard hands ; it seemed that our ap- 
pearance had a ridiculous effect upon them. A few, 
however, stared with a vacant gaze ; they appeared 
bodies without souls. Others stood by the fallen 
doors of their dwellings, which would in Europe 
be considered too bad for stables. One of the 
women, owing to the long walk in the heat, Lad 
elephantiasis in hex feet. This poor creature pined 
there helplessly ; the sight of her made me nearly 
sick with compassion and disgust. In the centre 



216 ON THE WING. 

of the place stood a withered tree, on whose 
branches hnng a grey cage, containing three grey 
parrots, which a Turkish boy offered for sale at 
twenty- three francs each. Thus men and beasts 
are bought in the same place by their fellow-men,— 
a lowering thought. Many philanthropic, whining 
Christians, who praise and hear praised daily the 
maxim of loye to your neighbour, buy these 
feathered beasts with uncounted gold, whilst their 
fellow-men are sold for much less. It would be 
a false idea, however, were it to be thought that 
these men would be made happy by freedom. There 
is more to be considered in this than people usually 
do. In their native country these men live in a 
wild, animal condition, and it is only owing to 
the deep degradation in which they are plunged 
that it is possible to catch and sell them. We 
may try to bring help into the heart of Africa 
by means of missions and civilization, but man 
will so seldom go to the bottom of an evil, and 
contents himself with the mere momentary appa- 



\ 



A VISIT TO TIIF. SLAVE-MABKET OF SMTENA. 217 

rent remedy ! Truly miserable are these men from 
the moment in which they become the property 
of the Mussulman. They are driven naked, like 
a herd of cattle, from their native country to 
Smyrna ; it is only in the market-place that they 
are given these blue-grey cloths. Their nourishment 
is a kind of dark bread. These " betes feroces," 
as the Christian dragoman called them, cost, as 
children, if they are tractable, a hundred to a 
hundred and fifty francs ; but if they are stubborn, 
only forty or fifty francs. One of the Moorish 
boys, who appeared better cared for, and in Turkish 
costume, spat on us as we approached nearer to 
look at him, with an expression of the bitterest 
anger. 

White slaves arc very rarely brought into this 
market. We only saw one clear-complexioned 
very beautiful woman amongst these dark ap- 
paritions ; she was dressed in a rich peculiar 
costume, and carried round eatables. Some as- 
d she was a Jewish overlooker of the slaves; 
others -aid she was a ( ircassiau offered for sale. 



218 ON THE WINGL 

Her features were noble; beautifully-arched eye- 
brows, long almond-shaped eyes, with a melan- 
choly expression, a straight Eastern nose, and a 
tender oblong mouth; her complexion was pale, 
and somewhat bronzed; her figure graceful, and 
well formed; her brown hair was covered by a 
golden net, to which a fine veil was attached, 
hanging in fairy-like folds around her ; her bodice 
and skirts were of a varied Oriental stuff; and 
thus she was the only spot of light amidst this 
sea of grey colour. 

I heard it said that the slaves had a tolerably 
happy life after they were purchased. They are 
treated like servants, and the old patriarchal rela- 
tions are extended to them. This gave me a little 
comfort and peace at my departure from this place 
of horrors. 

I afterwards saw some Moorish women in the 
bazaars, accompanying the veiled mistresses with 
really cheerful round faces. Fearful misery is 
in the original condition of these men, and it is 
only civilization which can help them. 



219 



CHAPTER VII. 

THE BAZAAR OF SMYRNA. 

Who has not read the ' Arabian Nights'? Who 
has not dreamed of Turkish luxury, Oriental abun- 
dance and magnificence, and the lean fanciful 
figures of the treasure-bearing camels! Who has 
not heard of the useful domestic friend of the 
East, the industrious donkey ? All these the 
reader will find united in the streets of Smyrna ; 
they arc covered in with wood and cloth hang- 
ings, which the Moslems call bazaars. 

When I found myself for the first time in these 
long high covered streets, I fancied I was dream- 

_. All moved in motley colours, and with the 



220 ON THE WING. 

most confused cries, one after another. Eyes, ears, 
and noses are all at once put into requisition, and 
it takes a long time till one begins to find oneself 
comfortable, and even then the forms are so con- 
fused one with the other that it is extraordinarily 
difficult to describe the impression it made on me. 

The bazaar lies between the Turkish and Trench 
town. It takes up a great deal of space, and its 
streets cross each other in every direction. In the 
middle, upon a small square, are several mosques, 
groups of trees, marble fountains, and public baths, 
which, together with the innumerable booths, form 
a picturesque and a pleasant variety. 

The reason that these public buildings are to 
be found in the very centre of the bazaar is, 
because this latter unites the life of the whole 
town and of the country ; the streets of a Turkish 
town are as empty as these places are overflowing. 
All business is conducted here. The messengers 
from distant regions are the camels, which, with 
the ever-tinkling bells round their necks, are gene- 



THE BAZAAR OF SMYRNA. 221 

rally tied one after another in strings of about 
five together, and are driven heavily-laden through 
the town. 

In order to clear the space necessary for them 
amidst the crowd, the drivers utter loud cries, and 
ride on in front of the caravan on donkeys, dressed 
in the costume of the country, and smoking their 
chibouques. One is often obliged to fly before such 
processions into a booth to make way. The greater 
number of the booths arc in a wooden house, and 
open one into the other ; and above this steps on 
each side lead up to the roof. The timbers are 
visible everywhere, and are of their natural colour. 
T« -wards the streets are great broad openings, as in 
the booths of our yearly fairs, only on a much 
larger scale 

On one side was a long wooden counter, upon 
which the Mahometan, surrounded by his goods, 
generally Bits cross-legged, smoking his narghile, 
and sipping coffee out of a small saucer. 

The noble symmetrical heads of these Turks are 



222 ON THE WING. 

covered by the gracefully -twisted turban. From 
their chins the long beard falls oyer open fur- 
trimmed caftans. Their legs, down to the knee, 
are clothed in ample white trousers, and below this 
the rich wear white stockings ; the poor, however, 
leave this part bare. Black shoes, or yellow slippers, 
turned up at the toe, complete the costume. The 
impression made by a Mahometan, either rich or 
poor, is very striking. 

The various wares hang on wooden poles at the 
entrance of the booths in motley confusion. The 
prettiest are those where Turkish stuffs, carpets, 
and dresses are sold. We entered several of these, 
and diverted ourselves in watching the indolent 
repose of the Turks during the sale. They have a 
perfect confidence in the honour of the purchasers, 
whilst the Greek merchants, on the contrary, are 
extraordinarily bustling and loquacious, following 
every movement of the buyer with their dark 
cunning eyes. 

The carpets, of which we bought several, are 



THE BAZAAR OF SMYRNA. 223 

mostly from Persia, and are distinguished by the 
brilliancy of the colouring and the beauty of their 
patterns. Their softness and warmth are well 
known. The materials for dresses and scarfs are 
prepared in a manufactory at Brussa ; they are 
very pliant and fine. Their prices are extraor- 
dinarily low. At first we took fright at the great 
sums of piastres which the Turks asked for each 
article, but it was soon explained to us that ten 
of these piastres only make one florin of ordinary 
money. A particularly fine display of tasteful 
colouring is to be found in those embroidered 
materials intended to be made up into slippers, 
caps, cushions, and purses. A fine yellow silk, crossed 
with gold threads, gives them a bright gloss, which 
contrasts well with black, red, or blue ground. 

Not till we had left the shops had we leisure 
to contemplate the crowds in the street. Turks, 
Greeks, Armenians, and Indians circulated around 
ns. These latter were conspicuous for their in- 

ii, which formed a gr< al con- 



224 ON THE WING. 

trast to the good-natured Turks, particularly as 
both nations wear the same costume. The Turkish 
women appeared amongst them with their eyes, 
foreheads, and noses covered by the black veil, 
which, so they told me, became less transparent 
the older they grew. From their heads, round 
their chins, and oyer their bodies hung a white 
cloth ; beneath this, down to their ankles, appeared 
the pale blue trousers, finished off by yellow or 
violet slippers. The ladies are generally followed 
by black slaves, who are only covered by a thick 
white cloth, and leave their swollen-featured faces 
exposed to the gaze of the men. 

One of the most remarkable sights of the town 
was the famous Turkish porters. These people 
have a kind of mattress-like cushion upon their 
backs and shoulders, upon which they carry bur- 
dens of five hundredweight. We were told that 
one of them could carry a pianoforte in this fashion. 
Professor G. met one bearing a complete set of fur- 
niture for a house. Four of them together can 



THE BAZAAB OF SMYRNA, 225 

move the most fabulous weights on thick poles 
laid orossways. 

We frequently met Mahometans with green 

turbans, which look remarkably well, These de- 
ulants of the Prophet now sell figs and melons 
in the streets of Smyrna. Thus the great ones 
of the earth rise and fall. 

We undertook to thoroughly explore the dif- 
ferent parts of the bazaar. The first quarter was 
that devoted to vegetables. Whole mountains of 
melons were heaped up in the stalls. Thousands 
of boxes filled with figs, which are kneaded by 
the thumbs of the Mussulmen, and then dispatched 
f< >r European palates ; stores of glorious sultana 
raisins; broad cakes of honey and meal: all this 
attracts the eyes of the hungry, and brought many 
piastres to light. 

There is one peculiar class of restaurateurs, 
who keep two upright spits perpetually turning 
in their shops. On the one, pressed together, in 
the shape of a column, are glowing coals. On 

Q 



226 ON THE WING. 

the other are fixed hundreds of 'pieces of meat, 
and by these two moveable columns the mutton 
is roasted for the Mahometans. 

Some of the stalls of the bazaar are devoted to 
jewellery, amongst which the most beautifully en- 
graved stones are to be found. I bought myself 
some of these, amongst others a talisman, on 
which I had my own name engraved in Turkish 
letters by a Mahometan in the neighbourhood 
of a mosque. These rich works of art are exposed 
in open air in the middle of the people. We were 
pleased by a proof of Turkish honesty at one of 
the jewellers' shops. Prince J. saw a silver ring 
with a green talisman in the glass case. The 
form of the trinket pleased him, and he wished 
to buy it, but the owner of the ring was not pre- 
sent. Some of the neighbours came up, broke 
open the case, and set a price on the ring. The 
prince thought it too high, they began to bargain, 
and the purchase was concluded without the pre- 
sence of the master. In the Viennese fruit-market 



THE BAZAAS OF SMYRNA, 2l>7 

mat tors could not have Loon thus managed ; the 
police would immediately rush up, crying " Thieves ! 
robbers!" It is only in barbarous uncivilized na- 
3 that such things arc possible. 

We laughed much to find in the midst of this 
noise and bustle a school in one of the booths, in 
which the schoolmaster offered his knowledge for 
sale. The ^Mahometan youth must be steadier 
than ours to be able to attend to the serious work 
of the Koran, surrounded by so much distraction; 
but the shouts which proceeded from these youths 
were something quite wonderful, being, perhaps, 
intended to drown the noises of the outer world. 

It is particularly charming when the eye sweeps 
through the bazaar, and its long covered gaily- 
hung rooms, to rest it at the end upon a little 
*. overshadowed by trees, which is the central 
point of from four to five streets. 

Solitary rays of the sun, and blue peeps of the 
heaven ep through these air-holes, and 

heighten the Oriental contrast of colours. Yet 

o 2 



228 ON THE WING. 

the glance wanders cnrionsly again beneath the 
boarded roofs, and looks into the half-darkness 
of the openings, finding the prettiest effects of 
colour and changes of light and shade in these 
Southern regions. ,From the dress of the people to 
the clouds of the heavens everything is strong 
and brilliant; therefore the painter finds it a dif- 
ficult, yet fruitful, field for his art. I have seen 
but few pictures in Europe which give the true 
feeling of the East. The few, however, in which 
this is attained are often blamed as exaggerations. 

From the bazaar we passed into a small back 
street, to an encampment of camels. It was a very 
interesting sight to see from forty to fifty of these 
animals in varied attitudes and groups, their 
yellow earthy colour scarcely distinguishable from 
the uneven ground on which they lay. The place 
was surrounded by ruinous, dirty houses. Many 
very young animals stepped proudly amongst the 
full-grown ones, and it was comical to see these 
little ones, scarcely four feet high, on their long 



Till; BAZAAB OF SMYRNA. 220 

stilted logs, pressing closely against their groat 
ungainly mothers. One of our guides fetched one 
of these young ones out of the pen, so that we 
could see it quite closely. It had a good-natured 
expression, and seemed quite indifTereut to what 
wis going on around it ; hut its mother shot angry, 
disagreeable glances at us. The camels, of which 
there are about ten thousand in Smyrna and its 
suburbs, are brought from the Crimea, where they 
abound. The height of this animal is seven feet ; 
the length, from head to tail, may be about eight 
feet. The body is dust-colour, shows all its bones 
and muscles, and is covered by a thick skin, with 
very little hair. For riding, in the East, only 
dromedaries arc used, but there are none of these 
in Smyrna. Camels are reserved for carrying 
bnrd< Their huge humps are hidden by a 

covering, from which hang, to the right and left, 
skets attached by strong straps. These beasts 
fed on a dried mash, composed of spoils! flour 
and v,;;- 



230 ON THE WING. 

When we expressed our admiration of the young 
camel to the dragoman of the Pasha, he assured us 
that his Highness Ali Pasha would be proud to 
give us such an one. Some of our travellers liked 
the idea, and thought it would be very easy to 
transport the animal upon the steam-ship. The 
majority, however, were against it. 

After this episode we returned to the bazaar, to 
continue our various purchases of the productions 
of the country. We found continually new in- 
terest in the ever-changing pictures which offered 
themselves to the spectator. 



99 



CHAPTER VIII. 



A TURKISH BATH. 



Fro:m the mosque, and the bustling confusion of 
the bazaar, we betook ourselves to the bath-house, 
which had been prepared for us. It is in the 
bazaar, and is built in the cupola form, with simple 
Turkish ornamentations. Before the entrance is 
;i terrace, like that of the mosques. It was sur- 
rounded by a crowd of men in bright dresses, who 
were probably attracted by a company of Turkish 
liers keeping guard over the bath-house in our 
h<>nour. We entered, feeling somewhat embar- 
ked, into this genuinely Oriental room. It stood 
immediately next to the bath-place, and is used as 



232 ON THE WING. 

a dressing-room. It was surmounted by a beauti- 
fully-arched cupola. Stone benches ran round the 
walls, which are intended to be of use to the 
Mahometans in their preparations for the bath. 
Above these, are crossed wooden poles, from which 
curtains are hung if anybody wishes for privacy. 
Opposite to the entrance is a raised dais, intended 
for persons of high rank. This was adorned to-day, 
for our use, with the most exquisite Oriental stuffs 
— gold- embroidered cushions, cashmeres, light wool- 
len curtains, varied with the brightest colours, 
whose grouping displayed the lively, graceful 
Turkish taste ; soft elastic carpets from Persia were 
spread out, to protect the bare feet from the marble. 
At the foot of the dais stood a basin, from which 
rose a fountain, divided into eleven jets, and threw 
the coolest, clearest water with a soft, gurgling 
noise over the marble. On the edge the most lovely 
Southern flowers bloomed. Ali Pasha had sent 
them, as well as all the other luxurious arrange- 
ments. It was a real picture of Turkish magni- 



A TURKISH BATH. 233 

licence, a lovely pell-moll, which yet had a 

charming inner harmony. The room was filled with 
the servants of Ali, who held the costly pipes and 
narghiles ready, and also by the ordinary bath 
servants. We were reminded of the descriptions 
in the ' Arabian Nights,' descriptions which arc 
generally considered by ns as overdrawn, but 
which, in reality, have more truth than fancy 
about them. They made us signs to get upon the 
divans and undress for the bath. I was much 
embarrassed at making my toilet coram publico, and 
had first to accustom myself to the situation. I 
t licit fore commenced by laying myself down on a 
divan and smoking the excellent tobacco of the 
Pasha out of a rich pipe. This smoking appa- 
ratus cost, so they told us, at least from one to 
three thousand florins. The mouthpiece is one 
i1 bit of amber set with diamonds. 
Daring this time our whole travelling company, 
who had remained making purchases in the bazaar, 
wer< assembled. Onlj Baron EL, my brother, and 



234 ON THE WING. 

myself had made up our minds to take the bath. 
The others were doubtful, and feared the heat 
which is necessary to this Oriental purification. 
All who did not take part in it went on the terrace 
in front of the house to smoke and drink sherbet. 
It is my principle in travelling to do everything 
according to the custom of the country, as one 
journeys to see and to learn. It seemed absurd to 
remain on the divan dressed, so I betook myself, 
with my valet and bath assistant, into the first pre- 
paration chamber. I entered nervously, and was 
nearly stifled by a rush of hot damp air. To my 
relief, I found Baron K. already robed in his 
bathing costume. I undressed myself, and the 
Mahometans in waiting threw around my loins a 
soft woollen cloth, and wrapped me in a white 
mantle of the same stuff. My feet were placed 
in raised sandals, to protect them from the water 
streaming about the marble. I was then installed 
in a stone chair, furnished with cushions, and they 
offered me a pipe. 



A TURKISH BATH. 2 o 5 

I had now an opportunity of examining the 
room ; it was of stone, and had the form of a long 
but not very broad parallelogram. Along the 
walls benches also extended for resting upon. The 
ground was covered with water half an inch deep, 
wlii eh, as the heat comes from below, gives great 
moisture to the air. I had scarcely begun to per- 
spire when the work of the bathing-men began. 
In this preparatory chamber they shampooed our 
bodies, in order to bring out a still stronger perspi- 
ration. There appeared to be some magnetic influ- 
ence in this. The exterior appearance of these men 
agrees with this conjecture. They arc mostly 
young men, with jet black eyes, which at first 
appear meaningless, but when lit up are full of 
enthusiasm and melancholy. This penetrating look 
they turn and fix immoveably upon the victim 
under their hands. Their complexions are clear, 
hut yellow and pale. Their life in the intense 
heal has deprived them of all youthful freshness. 
The shape of their countenance is. as with all Mus- 



236 ON THE WING. 

sulmen, long and angular. Around their finely - 
cut, generally closed mouths often played a sor- 
rowful mocking smile, which was very probably 
caused by our unskilful European manner of pass- 
ing through these Turkish customs. Their figures 
were slender and wiry. Their hands are remark- 
ably developed, owing to the shampooing. Their 
hair, according to a Mahometan custom, was shaved 
quite short in the front. Their dress is very sim- 
ple ; like the bathers, they wear bluish- grey woollen 
cloths, with red stripes, round their loins ; the 
white mantle hangs from their shoulders; and on 
their heads they have white skull-caps. 

As the perspiration had reached its highest point 
whilst we lay smoking and drinking coffee, owing to 
the shampooing and intense heat, the servants put on 
our sandals, and supported us into the third and prin- 
cipal bath-room. Our European servants we left in 
the first chamber, as they were no longer of any use 
to us. The poor creatures, whose clothing was not 
so light as ours, were nearly fainting from the heat. 



A TURKISH BATH. 237 

The temperature of the third room was almost 
more than we could bear, but, having already come 
so far, we did not like to leave before our curiosity 
had been fully satisfied. TVe clattered bravely 
with our sandals over the damp ground. 

This chamber was also crowned by a large boldly- 
arched cupola. In the centre we found a round 
raised place on the floor. It was about two feet 
high, and served as a couch. At four points of the 
round wall, little bathing cabinets were placed. 
The walls of these form in the middle of the 
principal chamber a sharp angle, ending in a little 
arched entrance. These walls only serve as sepa- 
rations, for, like those of Spain, they are at the 
utmost nine feet high. The upper part is open 
towards the cupola. 

We were now taken separately into these cabi- 
nets in the interior. I found a wooden settle and 
two cocks for hot and cold water, which flowed into 
;i marble basin. The stone walls were covered with 
thousands of black cockchafers, which, however, 



238 ON THE WING. 

Heaven be praised, flew away at the approach of 
man. 

My bathing-man took off my mantle, after he 
had divested himself of his own, and I was obliged 
to stretch myself ont on the settle, whilst he 
rubbed my limbs with a soft blue brush. When 
he had gone on in this way for some time, he took 
a great bundle of aloe fibres, and warm water, 
and produced a mass of white foam ; then, desiring 
me to shut my eyes, he dashed it repeatedly over 
me from head to foot, always washing away the 
lather with hot water. During these operations 
he brought me, with an indolent air, some excellent 
lemonade sherbet, which was very refreshing amidst 
this fearful vapour. 

While this cleansing process was going on, the 
dragoman came frequently to the little cabinet to ask 
how we were, and to inquire if it was our wish that 
everything should be done exactly as it was with the 
Turks. I assured him as frequently that it was our 
wish, and let everything go on without murmuring. 



A TURKISH BATH. 239 

When the bathing-man considered me fully cleansed 

he slung a white linen cloth, turban fashion, round 
my damp hair, made me understand by signs that 
I was to get up, threw the mantle over my 
shoulders, brought me the sandals, and led me 
into the first room of all, where the raised divan 
was surrounded, tent like, by the woollen curtains, 
to shelter us from the gaze of the curious. 

Charles and I stretched ourselves upon the well- 
stuffed cushions, let ourselves be covered with gold- 
embroidered cloths, and tried to cool down, after 
the unwonted perspiration. They brought us pipes, 
coffee, sherbet, and excellent water. The bathing- 
men knelt by us, shampooing and waiting on us. 
The whole thing was magnificent, and gave us a capi- 
tal idea of Eastern luxury. Meanwhile our remain- 
ing companions visited us and laughed at our Turkish 
appearance. As the perspiration would not cease, 
ami we expected a visit from the Pasha on board 
our ship, wo were obliged to dress, and Leave the 
bath-house in this damp condition. T could not 



240 ON THE WING. 

say that the bath had had an agreeable effect upon 
me. The frightful heat makes one restless and 
exhausted. For lazy Mahometans, who can after- 
wards spend hours and hours in the " dolce far 
niente," smoking tobacco and sipping coffee in 
long draughts, it may be all very well. 



241 



CHAPTER IX. 

A MORNING WITH THE PASHA OF SMYRNA. 

The Pasha hftd paid his visit to us in so friendly 
and pleasant a manner that we inquired, through 
our Consul, when we could make our return 
visit. The Pasha had invited us for this morn- 
ing, with the announcement that he intended to 
give us a dinner in the old Turkish style. Our 
pleasure can easily he imagined at being thus 
enabled to make our journey through the East in 
this original way, seeing one peculiar custom after 
another. 

A.1 eleven o'clock in the morning we went to 
the Consulate and put on full uniform, which 

B 



242 ON THE WING. 

looked strangely ridiculous amongst the Eastern 
costumes and motley crowd in the streets. We 
then betook ourselves to the bad neglected quay. 
Here the Pasha's boat awaited us. It was a long 
but narrow construction, made from the most beau- 
tiful carved wood, and was manned by twelve 
Turkish sailors, who had a very neat and sober 
appearance in their white shirts and red fez. 

The descent into the narrow vessel beneath the 
scarlet roof was rather difficult, encumbered as 
we were by our swords and spurs. A part of 
our company found no room in it, but for these a 
second boat was ready. "We pushed off and flew 
over the foaming waves to the Turkish town, at 
the commencement of which are to be found palaces 
and barracks. The rowers move their long curved 
oars with extraordinary rapidity, and in as good 
time as if they had practised with a metronome. 
I heard that these people row on for whole days 
without resting, beneath this glowing heat, so 
that at last they suffer from a kind of feverish 



A MORNING WITH THE PASHA OF SMYRNA, 243 

tasy, and go almost out of their mind, groaning 
with an uniform dull noise. 

I sat in the boat upon an elegant red silk 
cushion, and, on account of the want of space, 
crossed my legs. This cannot look very picturesque 
in the European dress. We approached the land- 
ing-place in front of the palace. The gardens 
were prepared for our reception, and genuine 
Turkish music was heard as we advanced. We 
stepped on shore. Beautiful Arab horses, belong- 
ing to the Pasha, were led up to us. They were 
covered with magnificent blue gold-and-silvcr- 
embroidered housings, and their bridles were ex- 
quisitely carved. We preferred, however, to go 
the short distance <>n foot. The guards surrounded 
us. A confused music proceeded from all possible 
instruments, and thus, amid a stream of people, we 

i red, witli Oriental pomp, into the inner palace- 
room of Ali Pasha. 

A great number of armed servants, in the old 
Turkish costume, lined the way till we reached 

r 2 



244 ON THE WING. 

the Governor. They bore the most beautiful arms, 
chiefly of pure silver. The guards who accom- 
panied us, unhappily, no longer wore the old cos- 
tume, and looked very pitiful in their new dress. 
The dirty coat hung so awkwardly, so colourlessly 
upon them, whilst the old costume had some- 
thing noble, historically interesting, agreeing with 
the lively colours of the land of the sun. 

The proverb " Dress makes the man" shows it- 
self here as true, only in the contrary sense to the 
rest of Europe, for the common people keep to the 
old regulations in Smyrna, and still more in Con- 
stantinople, producing an imposing original im- 
pression, since this dress becomes the beard and 
figure of the Mussulmans, whilst the authorities 
and military look very mean in their modern garb. 
You involuntarily think, when you look at them, 
of the fall of the Turkish empire, for with such 
figures mingling feebly amongst the people the 
Sublime Porte loses its prestige, and the Christians 
of the Turkish kingdom will soon cease to tremble 



A MORNING WITH THE PASHA OF SMYRNA. 245 

at a Pasha or Boy who so unsuccessfully attempts 

to imitate European fashion, instead of his being 
considered as formerly " the Scourge of God." 
Tims the idea of the great Ottoman empire will 
be lost, as the German river Rhine loses itself in 
the sands. "Dress makes the man." 

The palace of Ali is built of wood, after the Turk- 
ish manner, as the Moslems, in accordance with the 
commands of the Koran, only look upon their houses 
a- temporary places of rest, for it is their peculiar 
vocation to spread the Koran with fire and sword 
over the whole universe ; so it is only a truce, not 
a peace, that they have now concluded with the 
Christians. 

On the lowest step of the wooden staircase one 
of the principal officials, attended by a number 
nits, received us. Xext to the Pasha, he 
holds the highest rank in the state. He was a kind 
of polio officer, and appeared to be a good-natured 
Mahometan spy, who would, however, not have 
been thoughl worthy to fill this office in Vienna. 



246 ON THE WING. 

Ali had good reason to know his political abili- 
ties, as he spends his whole morning in friendly 
intercourse with him. The poor man was greatly 
afraid of an unfa vour able report to the ministry 
at Constantinople, who are not very well disposed 
towards the Pasha, because he belongs to the 
Turkish reaction. 

As we could not use the sign of " pigtail" to 
him, we will designate him a Mahometan " long- 
beard," for this is really the symbol of the old 
regiments. We called this Oriental spy of the 
police shortly " Your Turkish Excellence," because 
the Governor and the dragoman always gave him 
the title of " son Excellence." He smote repeat- 
edly upon his stomach, mouth, and forehead, as 
signs of the highest esteem. I do not know if he 
meant to express by these that his stomach was the 
most developed part, and that the brain was se- 
condary to that and to the mouth. I do not know ; 
but it is certain that the Pasha welcomed us with 
the same signs on the upper landing of the steps. 



A MORNING WITH THE PASHA OF SMYRNA. 247 

The countenance of the Pasha bore the impres- 
sion of good-nature. He is not very tali, but 
extraordinarily fat, and round his mouth played a 

kind of smile. His head is broad, his eyes arc 
mild, and not without intelligence. A few brown 
locks peeped beneath his fez, which threatened 
every moment to slip off, and caused him to make 
comical movements with his hand. The Governor 
wore only a moderately-short beard, as an official 
of the modern times, for here it is considered as a 
rign of opposition to the Turkish reaction, with its 
dervish-like Jesuitical intrigues, to shorten the 
beard, whilst with us, on the contrary, if you wish 
to become a minister, or at least a privy counsellor, 
you must manage it as did Fra Diavolo. With us 
the free " Ego," the liberal knowledge of modern 
times, shows itself by the greatest possible elonga- 
ti«'i! of the face, by means of the beard. Everywhere 
subjecl themselves to Belf-imposed fashions. 
The coat worn by the Pasha was of dark-blue 
cloth, with v<ry rich gold embroidery; his inex- 



248 ON THE WING. 

pressibles were of white cloth, with gold stripes. 
Bound his neek he had on the badge which belongs 
to him as brother-in-law of the Sultan. It con- 
sists of a string of diamonds, and two little tassels 
of the same, also the name of the Sultan in 
brilliants. His breast was adorned with a Eussian 
order of St. Andrew, which he received in the year 
1827, when he was sent as Ambassador to St. 
Petersburg, he having greatly distinguished him- 
self in the war, and been the only man of whom 
the Eussians were afraid. Eound his loins was 
girded a very magnificent sabre, in a sheath of 
"peau de chagrin," set with diamonds. 

In the first large lobby a still greater number of 
servants were collected. The Turks particularly 
pride themselves upon having a great number of 
slaves and servants. Ali led us, with signs of the 
greatest respect, into a drawing-room opening from 
the hall, whose long rows of windows offered a 
magnificent view of the sea, and admitted a re- 
viving breeze from this ever-beautiful element. 



A MORNING WITH THE PASHA OF SMYRNA. 249 

The walls and coiling of the chamber were painted 
a clear grey. Gold stripes ran round the cornice, 
with Oriental devices. Two sides were almost 
entirely glass, the windows being only separated 
by thin rafters. A part of the town and the whole 
of the harbour were visible through these case- 
ments. By the window-sills stood divans, sofas, 
and easy-chairs. Between the two rounded cor- 
s, near the entrance-door, the wall is extra- 
ordinarily richly adorned with gold. In the centre 
of it the Sultan's name is written in gold characters 
upon the blue ground. Beneath these, in the 
den wainscot, are little drawers, in which they 
p the most precious curiosities, souvenirs, and 
papers. This appears to be the family sanctuary, 
and, owing to a great square table which stands 
before it, resembles a chapel. Upon the ground 
,ir.' spread beautifully-worked mats. The rest of the 
furniture is brought by the Turks from Trieste and 
Vienna; in tin's room it was made of prettily-carved 
walnut wood, and covered with black horsehair. 



250 ON THE WING. 

The Pasha offered my brother and myself arm- 
chairs by the windows opposite the town, so that 
we conld see into the room, and ont towards the 
sea. Ali seated himself by our side. 

The remaining gentlemen, who had come in the 
first boat, scattered themselves on the divans. A 
conversation was then commenced between us and 
the Governor, by means of an interpreter, who 
translated into French. By Ali's questions we 
could perceive that he was not without education, 
and his genuine Turkish flatteries were well chosen, 
flowery, and almost witty. 

Soon after, the company of the second boat 
arrived. The gentlemen were introduced by the 
Austrian Consul- General to the Pasha, who said to 
them, in a friendly manner, that he hoped they 
would all do their duty, and that the doctor alone 
would never have an opportunity of doing his. I 
could scarcely keep from laughing at the astonish- 
ment of my friends. The sleek, plain, ugly coats 
look so peculiarly ridiculous amongst the Eastern 



A MORNING Willi Till: PASHA OF SMYRNA. 251 

luxury, whilst the stout amiable houso-eourt-and- 
state Recorder of his Apostolic Majesty, whose 
features expressed a desire to laugh, opposite a 
Governor and Pasha of an Asiatic province of 
the Sublime Porte, formed quite a magnificent 
" tableau de genre." 

After these gentlemen were seated, a crowd of 
servants at a given sign streamed in, carrying 
extraordinarily beautiful chibouques, from seven to 
;t feet long, in lance fashion, on their arms. 
They measured the distance from us to the ground 
very adroitly with their sharp eyes, and placed 
the bowl of the pipe so cleverly on the floor that 
the mouthpiece reached exactly to our lips. This 
knack is considered as a mark of " bon ton" 
amongst the Turkish households. They then knelt 
down, laid under each pipe a metal saucer, con- 
taining a few coals, and fanned the favourite 1 wood 
into a smoky glow. All this is done with wonder- 
ful readiness ; it is only a pity thai these servants 
wear the new livery. 



252 on the wing. 

We recognized the pipe we had used in the bath. 
I was perfectly astounded at the number of these 
articles of luxury, showing to what a pitch it has 
come in Turkey. 

The Sultan once issued a proclamation against 
the great extravagance in pipes, as some of his 
Pashas had, in the full sense of the word, been 
ruined through these costly toys. For our good 
Ali there is nothing to fear, as he is very rich. 
His revenue as Governor of Smyrna alone brings 
him in not less than eighty thousand florins. 

During the conversation he suddenly called our 
dear Dr. F. to him, and through the interpreter 
begged him to feel his pulse, as it was an honour 
for him that he should perform the same office 
on him that he practised every morning on us. 
The physician did as he was commanded, and 
assured his Highness that his pulse was remarkably 
strong and healthy, at which our friendly host 
broke out into a hearty laugh. He also inquired 
of the doctor if there had been any remedy dis- 



A MORNING WITH THE PASHA OF SMYRNA. 253 



ered for cholera, and did not appear pleased at 
being answered in the negative, for the terror of 
this complaint in the East is very great. 

The servants appeared once more, bringing coffee. 
This frequently-used drink is served up in small 
saucers, which are placed on egg-cup-shaped 
pedestals. Ordinarily these are of porcelain; here 
they were of rose-coloured enamel, studded with 
diamonds. The coffee is very hot, and is drunk 
with the grounds, and without sugar. It is not so 
bad as might be supposed. 

When the pipes were half smoked out, the 
servants carried them away, and re-appeared 
with them newly filled for use. Suddenly we 
heard a bell ring, and three stately, gaily-orna- 
mented camels appeared in the square before the 
palace, surrounded by picturesquely-dressed drivers. 
A spectacle of quite a new sort was to be shown 
US — a camel fight — a thing I had never so much 
as heard of in Europe. 

Towards the end of the year the males become 



254 ON THE WING. 

enraged, hunt each other, and bite and kick like the 
cocks in the combats in England. Unfortunately, 
the trial of this daj did not succeed ; only the 
strongest of these animals, when urged on by the 
driver, attempted to bite a weaker one, foaming 
several times at the mouth ; his opponent how- 
ever, only groaned pitifully and soon gave up his 
ground. 

Although this sport had not succeeded, the sight 
of these huge beasts had greatly interested us. 
Suddenly our host disappeared, for what reason is 
still unknown to us. Some time afterwards he 
returned very much out of breath, and invited us 
to the table. He went before us, as appears to be 
the custom in the East, with a dignified air, into 
the lobby, where we were received by the ever- 
ready bows of his servants. Erom thence he led 
us through a small door, hung with thick curtains, 
into the dining-room. 

This room offered a charming picture of the fan- 
tastic, graceful land of the sun. The walls and 



A MORNING WITH THE PASHA OF SMYRNA. 255 

the ceiling were covered tent-like with elegant 

white moire silk, striped with red and bunches of 
flowers. On one side, as in the saloon, ran a 
long row of high windows, beneath which was 
placed a wide luxurious green divan. "Wooden 
failings protected us from the gaze of the curious. 
Upon the ground lay reed mats, and above these 
rich carpets. 

In the middle of the rooms were two large 
plateaux of vermeil, upon tripods covered with rich 
stuffs. These formed the dining-tables, at which, 
ording to Turkish fashions, only six or seven 
pie sit down. The company therefore divided 
into two parties. We seated ourselves on some 
soft cushions, with our expectations regarding the 
coming meal greatly raised. Ali Pasha, Prince JT., 
Baron K., the Consul-General, my brother, and I 
constituted the company at the first table. 

Each of the guests had in front of him a black- 
and-white spoon set with coral, a gold-embroidered 
towel of "baptiste," resembling ;i pocket-handker- 



256 ON THE WING. 

chief, a roll of fine white bread, half of which was 
cut up in long parallelograms, and several elegantly 
chased saucers in "vermeil" and silver, in which 
were costly sultana raisins, sardines, caviare, cu- 
cumber, salad, and sour milk, water, and sweet 
melons. These last were so ripened by the Southern 
sun that they melted like sugar on the tongue. 

These various " hors d'ceuvres " we ate as we 
pleased during the meal. Not a bad arrangement, 
as in the Oriental dinners the sweet and the sour 
are handed alternately. 

The servants tied gold-embroidered napkins 
across our laps and shoulders, which gave us a 
very ridiculous appearance. This is, however, 
very necessary, as liquids alone were eaten with 
a spoon; the rest we were obliged to tear with 
our hands. 

Scarcely had we seated ourselves than the room 
filled with attendants, who amused themselves 
greatly at our expense, laughing at our astonish- 
ment and unskilful manners. On the middle of 



A MORNING WITH THE PASHA OF SMYRNA. 257 

the table they laid a small round leather cushion, 
upon which the dishes were placed one after the 
other. The number of these was more than twenty. 
They were all of white and blue porcelain. As it 
may be interesting to European " gourmets," I 
give the bill of fare. 

The first dish was some macaroni soup, which 
might have done honour to a French cook. Then 
followed some roast mutton, stuffed with rice, re- 
markable for its tenderness and excellence. The 
soup we had eaten with spoons, but into this dish 
the Pasha thrust his soft thick hand, and gave us 
to understand we might follow his bold example. 
All threw themselves like wild beasts upon the 
roast, and soon the filaments were loosened, and 
brought to our mouths, with a good deal of want 
of skill. Out of particular politeness and courtesy, 
the Governor tore off a soft bone and presented it 
to me with an amiable smile, exactly as if it had 
been a flower. 

We were somewhat embarrassed to know where 



258 ON THE WING. 

to put our remaining bones, but the Pasha helped 
us out of this difficulty by signing to us to let them 
drop on the gilt table. These " beaux restes " from 
the Oriental meal remained strewn, throughout 
the dinner, all over the table, offering a not very 
edifying spectacle to the eyes of the guests. 

After this little episode came a flat white dish 
of puff paste, called by the Turks " borek." Ali 
made use of a happy moment when we were not 
attending, and raised up the centre of the pie, 
whereupon, to our great astonishment, a goldfinch 
flew out. Our merry host laughed immoderately at 
this specimen of Turkish wit. It appears that 
these naive surprises are the highest degree of 
good taste in Smyrna, for the Pasha told me I 
might relate this little anecdote to my relations in 
my next letter. 

By way of finishing this dish agreeably, he took 
a slice of the pastry, and rolled it into a sort of 
ball, which he threw gracefully into his widely- 
stretched mouth. 



A MORNING WITH THE PASHA OF SMYRNA. 259 

After this they brought us lemonade sherbet, 
in very elegant French or Saxon porcelain rococo 
cups. Bad as this drink is in the West, it is most 
refreshing and good in the East. The courses are 
changed with extraordinary rapidity, and the re- 
viving drink vanished only too soon. It was re- 
placed by baked fish, with little raisins. This 
mixture sounds nasty, but in reality it was not so 
bad as we thought it would be. Then followed a 
very good pudding, called "kataif;" after that 
" patlitsha,'' a dish of meat with a " macedoine " of 
vegetables, of which the principal ingredient was a 
very highly-flavoured plant that grows in the neigh- 
bourhood. 

We helped ourselves to all these dishes, which 
were in a half- soft condition, with the aid of the 
pieces of bread, laying them on our forefingers, and 
using them with the help of our thumbs. Many 
elegant European ladies and finely-educated 
dandies would shrink with horror at this natural 
method of taking up fieri. 1 only permit myself 

s 2 



260 ON THE WING. 

this remark : there is no very great difference in 
eating with clean-washed fingers out of a great 
dish, in which, if the gnests are skilful, their 
fingers need not come at all in contact with those 
of their neighbours, to a dinner amongst delicately - 
nurtured Europeans who eat with forks, which 
have already been used by hundreds of people. 
It is all custom and fancy. 

The Governor told us that he had found it very 
difficult to eat with a fork when in St. Petersburg. 
The Turks laugh as much at the manners of the 
unbelievers as we at theirs. 

After the " patlitsha " they brought us good 
roast sea-fish, then some fried rice balls, which 
the Turks find means of squeezing whole into their 
mouths with their flat hands. Next came rice, 
with apples of paradise ; after that " halliva," a kind 
of jelly ; then a very sweet and good dish of 
honey, then again "bombar," i.e. sausages filled 
with rice. This last was, perhaps, the nicest of all 
the dishes. 



A MORNING WITH THE PASHA OF SMYRNA. 261 

The Pasha, by encouraging words, obliged us to 
partake of everything. Once, when Prince J., quite 
out of breath; wished to stop, Ali immediately as- 
sured him that a soldier must eat more than other 
people. A transparent sea-colour dish of sweetmeat, 
called lokma, was the next in order. It was almost 
nauseous from its great -sweetness. Tank-goksi, 
a white panada, made out of finely-minced chickens' 
breasts and almonds, came next. I thought this 
dish horrible, but some of the guests praised it 
extremely. A turkey followed. 

^Vhen one of the meats was brought up, Ali 
signed to the servant to put his hands in the dish 
and tear it up, so that it might be more easily 
helped by the guests. A very short and practical 
manner of dealing ! 

Xow came macaroni-cheese, quite in the Eu- 
ropean way ; then followed an excellent " eompot ^ 
of peaches; then kabak dolma, a preparation of 
stuffed gourds, a dish European epicures would 
have taken to very readily if it had not come 



262 ON THE WING. 

immediately after the sweet compot The con- 
clusion of the rich and varied meal was the pilau, 
a great pile of rice, strewn with little currants. 
After this succession of dishes had all disappeared, 
" urchas," a swimming compot, was handed round in 
elegant glass cups. This somewhat strong, but 
not very pleasant drink, supplies the place of wine 
with the Mahometans. During the dinner it had 
only twice fallen to my lot to obtain some good 
fresh water. 

The meal, so interesting a spectacle for travel- 
lers, was now ended. We seated ourselves by the 
window-sills on the green divan, and they brought 
us soap and water in beautiful cans and basins of 
vermeil, in order that we might perform the very 
necessary washings of our hands. During these 
ablutions the Pasha, who also washed his face, 
appeared to murmur a prayer. After this cere- 
mony was accomplished, Ali led us back into the 
grey drawing-room, and our tobacco-pipes were 
again brought to us. 



A MORNING WITH THE PASHA OF SMYRNA. 263 



We were now diverted by an Egyptian-Moorish 
dance, which the Pasha caused to be executed on 
the same place where the camel-fight had failed. 
The negroes played themselves a monotonous music 
with drums and " cinclli." The dance was pecu- 
liar, graceful, and warlike. The negroes hit each 
other with sticks, and made springs like wild 
tigers. 

A national dance is always interesting, as it 
expresses the character of the nation. The taran- 
tella is full of wild enthusiasm ; the bolero, noble 
and fiery ; the mazourka, light and graceful ; whilst 
in this dance we saw the savage warlike tribes 
who dance round the corpses of the enemy, or of 
the vanquished lion. 

When we had contemplated this spectacle for 
some time, the Pasha asked us if we should now 
like to see the barracks and the troops; we ac- 
cepted this offer gladly. Before taking leave we 
went to the cabinet in the wainscot, beneath the 
name of the Sultan. It was tilled with champagne., 



264 ON THE WING. 

figs, grapes, and costly sultanas. I seized a glass 
of the sparkling French wine, and asked the Pasha 
if we might drink his health in the European 
fashion. He responded to our toast, proposing that 
of our monarch. The name of the Emperor he 
lisped in the Turkish custom, with only a few 
whispered words. He then drank our healths, and 
we the Sultan's. 

I saw on this occasion that the Turks, in spite 
of the Koran, do not refrain from a glass of spark- 
ling champagne. They allege, in excuse for this, 
that this wine was discovered after Mahomet's 
death. 

We bade farewell to our hearty, friendly host, 
to whom we had taken quite a fancy during our 
short visit, and were shown out with the same 
ceremonies with which we had been received. 

We betook ourselves to the barracks. These 
consisted in a very roomy two-storied building, 
with a centre and two side wings. Towards the 
fourth side it is open, and a railing encloses the 



A MORNING WITH THE PASHA OF SMYRNA. 265 

whole court. It stands immediately on the edge 
of the sea, so that the air in the beautiful rooms, 
with their many windows, is always healthy and 
fresh. 

The General in command of the building is at 
the head of two regiments. Only one regiment, 
however, was then in the barracks, the other being 
on march. Each regiment had two colonels, four 
lieutenant -colonels, twelve majors, and four-and- 
twenty lieutenants. The regiment is divided into 
four battalions, the battalion into two companies. 

The General, who bears the title of "military 
governor/' received us beneath the gate of the dark- 
red-coloured building. We visited the rooms on 
the first floor. The passages are extraordinarily 
high, wide, and airy, and remarkably clean. The 
rooms are large and comfortable. Forty to sixty 
men are in each storey. Each man has a thin 
palliasse, a little pillow, and a blanket, all of a dark 
colour. The whole bed can be packed into his 
knapsack. The soldiers li<' close 1" each other on 



266 ON THE WING. 

the ground. Their dress consists of a low red fez, 
a blue jacket, and white linen trousers. They 
wear black shoes when they go outside the bar- 
racks, but indoors they go barefooted, which is 
very conducive to cleanliness. Their straps are of 
white leather ; their pouches tolerably large. Their 
firearms are long, the stocks brown; their knap- 
sacks are narrow and high, and are covered with 
brown leather. 

I could not sufficiently express my admiration 
to the Governor, and assured him that, even in 
Europe, the cleanliness of his military building 
might be useful as an example, a compliment which 
appeared to flatter the commandant considerably. 

We were now led into a kind of balcony, con- 
taining a reception-room, in the middle of the 
centre wing on the first floor. From here they 
begged us to watch some of the movements of the 
regiment. We assured the gentleman, however, 
that, instead of reclining upon the soft cushions 
of the divan, we would prefer going to the court 



A MORNING WITH THE PASHA OF SMYRNA. 267 

in order to admire the troops more closely. This 
attention pleased the Turks extremely, and I heard 
of it later, in a letter from Constantinople. They 
are not accustomed to such close inspection from 
the Sultan. A magnificent chamber is therefore 
arranged on the second floor for his Ottoman 
Majesty in every barrack. From thence he can 
contemplate the believing children of Mahomet, 
a- out of a cloud ; that is to say, his body alone 
is seen assisting at these warlike spectacles, for 
the dull spirit of the young prince does not take 
pleasure in such matters. He prefers giving liim- 
Belf up to the enjoyment of his pipe, and cares 
more for his army of seven hundred wives than for 
the defenders of his country. Thus, although the 
interpreter said to me, with a good deal of intel- 
ligence, " Cette chambre est reservt'e pour le grand 
Sultan, puisque les soldats sont ses enfants, et 1< 
pen- doit toujonrs loger parmi ses enfants/ 3 this 
would have sounded more prettily if it had not b< 
a mere form of speech. 



268 ON THE WING. 

The regiment was drawn out in the great court. 
All the officers were on foot : I believe the general 
alone possessed a horse. The four battalions 
formed in line, and began a short exercise in 
firing. At first each battalion shot by turns, 
during which the first row knelt down in the old 
fashion, so that three lines could fire at once ; then 
followed a charge from the whole front, a running 
fire, and the formation of an entire square. The 
firing was very good, the discharge was like one 
shot, and the re-loading marvellously quick. The 
remaining movements were not so well executed. 
They are still made in the old-fashioned style. The 
filing off was particularly bad ; it was directed by 
a tall black negro lieutenant. 

Meanwhile the band played in a very wild and 
strange manner. Once it attempted something 
from Flotow's ' Martha,' but it came utterly to 
grief. The Turkish word of command, in the 
native tongue, sounds very loud and imposing, and 
is obeyed by the troops very quickly. 



A MOENING WITH THE PASHA OF SMYRNA. 269 

The characteristic type of a people is never 
Letter seen than in a division of an army. Where 
all are clothed alike, and all are of the same height, 
the similarity of features becomes remarkably evi- 
dent. The Turkish type consists in a rather short 
retreating forehead, in marked beautifully-arched 
brows, in sharp oval eyes, a long and slightly- 
curving nose, an indolent month, with thick under - 
lips, and a long oval chin. Their complexion is of 
an olive tint. The troops only wear moustaches, 
the full beard, as I said before, having been pro- 
hibited as being associated too forcibly with the 
tyranny of the Janissaries. 

After the filing off of the troops, we expressed 
our admiration and thanks to the General, and left 
the barracks. It appears that the Turks know 
how to make a good use of the experiences they 
gained in the revolution, as the palace of the 
Q vernor is close to the barracks. If the Turkish 
monarchy is weak and rotten at the core, the weak- 

js is not caused by the revolution. The downfall of 



270 ON THE WING. 

an ancient colossus, which once has had a mighty 
part, is not so deplorable as the fearful weakness 
of the European Christian states, who, hating revo- 
lutions, would gladly put an end to them, but, 
with a childish weakness, shrink from the means, 
and only venture to give them sly underhand stabs 
in the dark. 

It is religion which keeps this kingdom together. 
If Mahomet is once buried, his Crescent will no 
longer illumine the richest and most beautiful 
countries of the earth. If Turkey is to be subju- 
gated, her religion must be uprooted. If European 
nations are to be overthrown, the Cross must be 
destroyed. 

During the morning the sea had been rather 
rough. It was therefore proposed that we should 
go back to the Consulate through the town, on the 
horses the Pasha had sent for us. "We did not 
accept the offer, because we did not like the idea of 
becoming a spectacle for all Smyrna on these mag- 
nificently-caparisoned chargers. Another mode of 



A MORNING WITH THE FASHA OF SMYRNA. 271 

returning would have been to go on foot along the 
uneven pavements, through the glowing heat, and 
in full uniform ! I, however, who love the rough 
sea and toss gladly on the mighty waves, decided 
to make my way hack in the boat of Ali. I pro- 
mised myself great enjoyment from this delightful 
passage tln'ough the magic harbour of Smyrna. 
My example was followed by my brother, Count 
G., the Consul-General, and the dragoman. The 
others did not appear to relish the idea of the heav- 
ing and sinking waves ; they preferred creeping 
back wearisomely on foot. 

We pushed off briskly from the shore, and I 
rejoiced at my choice. We sailed quickly in the cool 

-breeze, past mountains and valleys, watching 
the cheerful scenes in the harbour. The red awn- 
ing protected us from the hot rays of the sun, and 
we could contemplate the noble panorama of the 
town at our leisure. 

We had been resting some time on the sofas in 
the Consulate, l"st in happy recollections of our 



272 ON THE WING. 

merry and eventful morning, before our friends 
came in, panting and half dead from fatigue and 
heat. "We pitied them for their long tiring walk 
oyer the uneven pavements, particularly after the 
copious meal they had partaken of. Secretly I 
laughed in my sleeve, and thought the dancing 
waves were preferable to the rugged road. 



273 



CHAPTER X. 

A TRIP TO BURNABA* 

Smyrna, 20th September, 1S50. 
It was one of the beautiful clear days of the 

S( »utli ; the sk}' was bright blue ; the air warm, yet 

not oppressive. All these circumstances tempted 

us to accept the offer of the Pasha and the Consul, 

and to make an expedition to Burnaba. 

At three o'clock in the afternoon, after a heavy 

luncheon, we left the deck of the ' Vulcan.' The 

ts soon landed us on the coast of Asia, and a 

i'rw steps brought us to the door of the Consulate. 

Here the Pasha's horses awaited us. They were 

fine beasts, richly caparisoned. Their long and 

T 



274 ON THE WING. 

broad housings were covered with gold embroidery ; 
their bits and stirrups were of glittering gilt 
bronze. These latter shone like trophies of war. 
We seated ourselves on horseback, and, surrounded 
by numbers of Turkish officers, and a kind of 
irregular guard of the Pasha's, passed through the 
streets of Smyrna. 

In order to reach the heights and the open 
country, we were obliged to go through the Armenian 
town. All the inhabitants rushed to the windows 
and doors, and the streets were lined by the noble 
Orientals, with their fine countenances and almond- 
shaped eyes, eagerly awaiting the entry of an 
Asiatic prince in his costly attire, whilst, bathos ! 
they only beheld a pair of miserable Europeans in 
stiff summer coats, surmounted by tall black cylin- 
ders, riding on Ali's magnificent chargers. 

"We came soon to a very pretty, and, if the story 
may be believed, interesting spot in the upper part 
of Smyrna. Here, we were told, was the happy 
birthplace of the first-born of the Muses, the 



A TRIP TO BURN ABA, 



275 



divine Homer, he who first used the enchanting 
language of poetry. Even if the tradition is false, 
it is a pretty invention, for no spot could be more 
worthy of the honour. Tall plantain-trees over- 
shadow the favoured place, forming arches with 
their smooth branches, and crowns with their many- 
pronged leaves, on one side of a piece of water. 
Beyond, on the further shore of this water, a quiet, 

inn, death-like looking thicket of cypresses 
rises towards the sky, whilst, as symbols of a later 
period in history, the forms of the spectre-like 

ves of the Turks lie scattered between the 
dark trees. A bridge, painted in bright colours, 

visible, stretching across the river. It was 
built especially for Smyrna, and is of great im- 
portance, as thousands and thousands of camels 
cross it constantly, carrying the rich products of 
the soil to this mart of the East. We stepped over 
this old structure, and entered the cemetery of the 
sulmen. 
A peculiar solemnity and impressive calm reigned 

i 2 



276 ON THE WING. 

in this place. The tall cypresses — those living mi- 
narets, announcing death, however, by their pre- 
sence — stood in order at equal distances from each 
other ; between them are innumerable graves, which 
consist of upright slabs of stone, most of them 
placed in straight lines. 

The graves of the men are distinguished by a 
turban engraved upon the upper part ; those of the 
women are without this distinction, for woman 
in the East plays no important part in life. Be- 
fore many of the slabs a low stone railing is 
placed, like those which, on the mountains with 
us, are often made of wood. The newer graves 
are painted with bright colours, and, instead of 
the turban, we see the Turkish fez upon them. 
On the stone slabs are engraved the names of the 
dead, and a text from the Koran. 

Two things pleased me with the Turks — first, 
they never destroy or desecrate with their own 
hands the graves of their ancestors, but leave it 
to time to do this ; and, secondly, they do not thrust 



A TRIP TO BUBNABA. &i t 

the bones of the dead into narrow, close cofrins, 
but lay them in the lap of Mother Earth. 

I far prefer the Turkish churchyards to ours ; 
there is more purity, simplicity, and natural charm 
in them than in ours, where I am often inclined 
to believe I see a theatrical heathen triumphal 
monument instead of a Christian burial-place. But 
worse than all are those of the Italians, where the 
rich are separate from the poor, a large place, sur- 
rounded by arcades, being devoted to the former, 
whilst the poor lie in an open space, their graves 
only distinguished from those of dogs by a short, 
numbered, wooden mark ; and if you wish to know 
the name or title of any one you must go to the 
library, and turn over a catalogue. In our mate- 
rialistic age such things can happen. Man analyses 
himself as though he were an automaton, and by 
thus familiarizing himself with his own flesh and 
blood he loses, as is natural, all respect for (had 
bones. Our forefathers knew the beautiful feeling 
which shows itself in Turkish churchyards, and 



278 



ON THE WING. 



we find the same in many parts of the high moun- 
tain districts. 

We left the great thicket of cypresses, mounted 
onr horses, and continued our way to Burnaba. 
We passed through a very fruitful neighbourhood, 
with a most abundant vegetation. We could easily 
believe here the riches of the Turkish countries. 
The most magnificent grapes twined themselves 
over the healthy fig-trees. The famous sugar- 
melons of Smyrna grew between the rich ears 
of wheat. Everything has the appearance of plenty; 
yet we could see that Mother Nature is the great 
artist amidst this splendid luxuriance. 

We frequently met trains of camels and mules, 
laden with the fruit of the country, on all sides ; 
wherever the eye could span we beheld something 
new and enchanting. As we descended into a 
broad plain, over which a few trees were scattered, 
the oddly-dressed guards of the Pasha, armed with 
firelocks and sabres, began to swarm round us. 
They spurred on their horses faster and faster, 



A TKIP TO BURNABA. 279 

raising their voices in wild cries. The dust flew 
in clouds from the hoofs of their horses, which, 
crossing each other continually from each side of 
the road, gave a picture of warlike strife. It looks 
well when these brown sons of the East, in their 
picturesque costumes, dash up in these dust-clouds 
on their fiery little steeds from between the trees, 
their swords swinging, their muskets prepared to 
fire, with their wild movements, and wilder battle- 
cry. How I lamented that we could not do the 
same upon our parade horses ! Unfortunately, these 
representative beasts can only be ridden Turkish 
fashion, at a foot's pace, and arc only used by 
the Pasha on great occasions, as when he goes in 
procession to the mosque. Out of courtesj r to the 
friendly Ali, we were obliged to go the first part 
of the way at an imposing procession-pace, making 
occasional not very dignified capers ; but, after some 
trial to our patience, help was procured. We came 
to a paper-mill, and, assuring our escort, in the mosl 
p«»litc manner, that we were anxious to take par- 



280 ON THE WING. 

ticular care of these noble animals, we sprang from 
our horses, and, selecting lighter-footed ones from 
amongst our suite, were soon off again, to our 
great delight, at a quicker pace. "We could not 
have managed the affair in a better manner ; the 
Turks did not seem to be at ail angry. Thus, 
laughing and joking, we came with our numerous 
train to Burnaba. 

This elegant villeggiatura — the summer retreat 
of the Turks, in which the most various European 
races go for the hot-season holiday — lies upon a 
mountain, and, owing to its charming and richly- 
planted gardens, looks quite lovely and cheerful. 
The community is large; but it is a pity that 
the Oriental custom of enclosing everything with 
high walls prevents one, on entering the town, 
from seeing any of the gardens or houses. In the 
Turkish part is a bazaar, which was, however, very 
dirty and small, so that the streets offered little 
to interest us. We were, however, permitted to take 
a further look at the magnificence and comforts 



A TRIP TO BURN ABA. 2$ I 

of the dwellers in this Southern land. It is a 
characteristic difference between the Eastern and 
European people that the inhabitant of the West 
wishes to make a show of his treasures, opens his 
gardens to the public gaze, and tries, in every 
way, to make others admire his possessions. The 
Oriental, on the contrary, shuts up and guards his 
treasures with jealous care between the four pro- 
tecting walls, makes himself a paradise within 
them, and enjoys it in silence with the initiated 
household ; at the utmost, he permits fame to speak 
of its secret unknown wonders. Therefore in the 
East everything has the charm of novelty, whilst 
familiarity in Europe produces satiety. 

Through the goodness of the Consul- General, 
we were allowed to enter the garden of a rich 
banker, of the name of B., a native of Trieste. 
The owner received us most courteously on the 
threshold, and led us to a charming pavilion in 
t rden, which gave us a striking picture of 
the luxuriant taste <»i' the East. The ilonr was 



282 ON THE WING. 

of marble, separated into two compartments, one 
part being raised. The divaned wall ran round 
these, pierced by numerous windows, between 
which were candelabra, set in gold-rimmed con- 
cave mirrors ; on the floor rich carpets were spread ; 
in the lower division of the room was a finely- 
sculptured marble basin, into which eleven little 
jets of water trickled down with a delicious mur- 
mur ; the water which flowed away formed after- 
wards outside the building a little lake, shaded by 
trees, which was surrounded by a rockwork and 
filled with gold fish, and preserved a delightful 
coolness in the pavilion. 

The garden was planted with orange-trees, and 
other shrubs belonging to this climate. After we 
had gone over it, the most delicious refreshments 
were offered to us in the pavilion. They con- 
sisted of ices, and the famous preserved fruits of 
Smyrna. It is the custom to offer these in all 
houses on the arrival of strangers. 

We next visited the house of an Armenian, 



A TRIP TO bubnabA. 283 

from whose upper room we had a glorious view 
of the valley, the town, and the gulf. Happy 
the man who eau always see such a magic picture 
from the window of his house ! The garden of 
the Armenian is luxuriant, and full of shade ; 
but the most beautiful that we saw in this 
lovely spot was at Mr. AY.'s, a rich Englishman, 
wile was at the same time a merchant and a 
banker. 

A- we stepped into the garden, we found an 
elegant company assembled in front of the house, 
surrounded by cypresses, and other fine plants. 
It was a picture of comfort to see how these ladies 
and gentlemen gave themselves up to the dolce 
fur niente of this glorious evening, whilst on every 
Bide flowers shod their delicious odours, a parrot 
shook out its brilliant plumage, the trees raised 
their proud heads majestically into the infinite 
blue vault of heaven, the beautiful verandahed 
house united in one still harmony in the balmy 
Southern air and pure Evening twilight. Such a 



284 



ON THE WING. 



sight penetrates the heart of a stranger, and he 
thinks those people happy who live in such a 
paradise. 

Mrs. W., the daughter-in-law of the possessor, 
a beautiful woman, though a little too stout, with 
a soft angelical expression and regular features, 
came to meet us, and led us into the interior of 
the house. Here European luxury reigned in 
the delicious Southern climate. We saw that an 
English spirit presided, from the comfortable and 
tasteful arrangement of the rich furniture. After 
a somewhat ordinary conversation, we again went 
to the garden, which Mrs. W. very kindly gave 
us an opportunity of admiring. From one of the 
terraces we had a glorious view over the valley 
and the high mountains, which shone magically 
in the fading light. When we returned we were 
again offered " confitures," and Mr. W.'s son, a 
lean comical-looking little man, with a white jacket 
and a white hat, introduced himself to us, a re- 
markable contrast to his stout, yet handsome wife, 



A TRIP TO BURNABA. 285 

dressed in black. After we had left this garden, 
and gone through several others, we again spent 
some little time with Mr. 13., and then jumped 
upon our horses and set off for our ride home. 

It was night, hut such a night as the fancy of 
Northerners cannot paint. It could only be en- 
joyed on the luxuriant shores of Asia Minor. 
The vaults of heaven were infinitely clear, not a 
sound was to be heard, repose reigned on the broad 
sea, and, like a victor over the hot bustling day, 
the full moon rose majestically behind the grand 
heights of Smyrna. The shadows threw sharp 
outlines, there was a silvery shimmer through the 
foliage, the country was changed as by the magic 
wand of a fairy. 

We spurred on our horses, and galloped towards 
the town, through the vague mysterious moonlight ; 
the Turkish graves shone out like rows of spectres 
between tli" dark sorrowful cypresses. And now 
we reached the town, and passed through a few 
narrow streets, and wore soon upon the deci of 



286 ON THE WING. 

the dear c Vulcan,' where, after an enjoyable 
meal, we again rejoiced in the lovely view of the 
glittering sea, the white sharply-defined minarets 
and cupolas, the great masses of houses, and the 
distant mountains. 



287 



CHAPTER XI, 



OX SEEING CORFU. 



The morning dawned; the sun rose, and shed a 
deep peace over the silver floods and the high 
mountains of Albania ; rapidly the steamer 
rushed through the waves, and we sped quickly 
past the smaller Ionian islands, which rose like 
the backs of great sea-monsters out of the water. 
Then we beheld the extreme point of the fertile 
island of Corfu. A few yards alongside of her 

st brings one to the fortress which crowns the 
town. This English colonial fort can only be com- 
1 to a crown of thorns. 

The island consists chiefly of mountainous 



288 ON THE WINO. 

ground, and is overgrown with the freshest and 
most beautiful wood, presenting a refreshing sight 
to the eye. The whole country is like a great 
park, in which a few solitary home settlements 
are to be found. These have a neat well-built 
appearance, and do not make the same sorrowful 
impression as some of the scattered Greek villages, 
rising in irregular forms above the uncultivated 
ground. 

It is a pleasant sight to see beautifully-built 
villas in the midst of Southern vegetation, cul- 
tured with a gardener's care. The rocks on the sea- 
shore contrast excellently with them. We must 
confess that the English understand how to force 
everything that comes in their way into beauty 
and cultivation, for even the rocky Malta is now 
covered with the freshest green. 

The nearer we approached the town, the more 
numerous were the country houses. 

At a little distance an English ship was an- 
chored, from whence they were shooting at a black 



ON SEEING CORFU. 289 

targei floating in the sea. This little manoeuvre 

amused me extremely ; it was ridiculous to sco 
how the ball popped up again from ten to twenty 
times in the water behind the target, so that the sea 
foamed like a waterfall. The British seamen did 
not hit their small mark often, certainly. As avc 
were obliged to pass within range, some began to 
ask if we might not be hit, but the shooting stopped 
a little while as we went by. 

The rocks commanding the town disappeared 
more and more, and the beautiful settlement of the 
British was displayed before our eyes. The high 
points of the fortress stood out ruggedly against 
the blue sky; around it the most magnificent gar- 
dens and beautifully-built houses were formed into 
terraces. At the foot of this fortress stood rows of 
st<>ne bastions, which appeared to spring out of the 
floods ; at the extreme corner of one of these was 
situated the Governor's garden, well shaded by 
line large trees. At the end of these, near the 
town, stands a great grey Btone palace, consisting 

D 



290 ON THE WING. 

of several wings, whose rooms are protected from 
the heat by tall green " jalousies." 

This extensive and imposing building is the seat 
of the tyrant whom the free British power has set 
over the poor islanders as protector. They thought 
in the town that we were going to land. "We, 
however, steered into a kind of broad canal, which 
was formed by a barren rocky island immediately 
before the town. 

The latter has an elegant, clean appearance. 
Large well-built houses give signs of wealth, and 
are vouchers for England's practical luxury and 
merchant-like comfort. The place is surrounded 
by the most delightful green hills, from whence 
the homely English cottages peep forth invitingly. 
On the island lying opposite the town is an- 
other fortification, into which we strangers were 
admitted. 

They told us that every morning a hundred 
English soldiers were taken over in skiffs from the 
town to this island, and taken back again in the 



ON SEEING CORFU. 291 

evening. It is supposed they have taken some 
oath of secresy, for nobody knows what they have 

to do on this mysterious land ; but it is thought 
they may be trying to unite the two islands 
by a tunnel under the sea. We stopped before 
the town for a few minutes, in order to get news 
from the Lloyd steamship, then at anchor. Im- 
mediately up came John Bull, with his sailors 
arrayed in white. lie was the captain of the 
harbour, who, in an obliging manner, brought us 
the " pratica," in order to receive a large "tip" 
on the occasion. We answered him that we did 
not intend to land in any case. lie still, however, 
wished to know from our captain, who was on 
rd ; and when he did not find this out, rowed 
away with a very gloomy countenance. 

During this pause we were able to examine the 

town at our leisure. As it was the hour of the 

there was very little movement in the 

streets. The number of ships in the roadstead 

was also small, for the cholera was raging in the 

D 2 



292 ON THE WING. 

Ionian Islands, impeding the trade for a while. 
We again set sail, and continued onr flight. To- 
wards the end of the island its shores approached 
the Albanian coast. In the middle of this nar- 
row water there exists a small strongly-formed bit 
of rock, on which rests just as small a light-house 
tower. It is called by a very disagreeable name, 
viz. " The Mangy," probably from the peculiar 
formation of the rock. An old broken-down 
soldier vegetates upon this little spot. Soon the 
last point of the island vanished from our eyes, 
and we steered joyfully for our beloved Fatherland. 



CHAPTER XII. 

TWO DAYS IN THE BOCCIIE DI CATTARO. 

Veet early in the morning I threw on my clothes, 
and was the first on deck. A healt'hy fresh air 
blowing from my beloved Austria, which I beheld 
again now for the first time, strengthened my 
limbs, and I contemplated with delight the sunrise 
over the dark bine mountains of Dalmatia. A 
light soft mist rested upon the still waters, and 
gave a rosy hue to the stars ; but the vapours 
D disappeared, and, large and majestic, the sun 
my grateful eyes. The fresh light gave 
colour and life to the melancholy mountains; rocks, 
woods, and solitary little hamlets wore disclosed to 



294 ON THE WING. 

the gaze, which rested with delight on the aspect 
of home. My fellow-travellers soon came up, and 
we greeted each other with mutual pleasure upon 
the Austrian waters. It appeared to me a good 
omen, that, just as we came in sight of our native 
country, the sun shone to meet us so gloriously 
clear. 

We took our breakfast upon deck in a most 
cheerful humour, and thus, amidst merry conversa- 
tion, we came to the entrance of the famous Bocche 
di Cat tar o. Through a rather narrow canal we 
passed the first sea strait. The impression is quite 
like that of a peaceful inland lake. One forgets 
the great ocean behind, and revels with joy at 
the sight of the new lovely landscape. Here are 
no longer the bare rocks and yellow plains of 
Hellas ; but merry fresh life and sober happy civi- 
lization. We saw no more the wild unpopulated 
places ; houses rise from the luxuriant woods, 
from whose good condition it is easy to perceive 
that they are under the Austrian sceptre. And 



TWO DAYS IX Till- BOGCHE DI CATTABO. 295 

yet the uncivilized condition of Greece has its 
peculiar charms. The bright landscape beneath 
the Southern sky, and the bare rosy-tinted moun- 
tains by the bine foaming sea of Lcpanto, — what a 
contrast ! Towards the interior of the country rise 
rocky hills, in extremely picturesque outlines, 
which, although they are barren in the upper 
regions, yet bear the stamp of the Northern strata. 
Towards the sea the mountain-range is of a low 
round form, not very beautiful. It is mostly over- 
grown with myrtles. On the shores are fresh green 
vineyards, with a few villas in the Italian style. 

Two points, in particular, rivet the attention — the 
prettily-situated little town of Castelnuovo, with 
its square forts ; and the Greek convent Sabina, 
built in the Byzantine style, a spot lit up amongst 
the luxuriant verdure. Our ship anchored by the 

spital of Castelnuovo, which stands about half-an- 
hour's distance from the town and Hose beneath 
the convent on the sea-shore. 

After we had dress< d we landed, and trod again 



296 ON THE WING. 

with joy, after so many adventures, the dear firm 
earth of Austria. 

Our first point was the convent, which had 
already excited our curiosity on the ship. How 
agreeably were we surprised to find the German 
oak (Quercus Germanica), side by side with the 
luxuriant laurel beneath whose shade we refreshed 
ourselves ! Meadows, too, we saw — fresh green mea- 
dows, after so long a time ; — what delight ! Upon 
these meadows grew great orange-trees, entwined 
by the Northern ivy. It was a quiet, lovely little 
spot, lying immediately before the convent gate, 
the most charming blending of the beauty of the 
North with the fire of the South. 

The hot rays of the sun were subdued by the 
leafy shade of the oak into an agreeable light. 
Here and there the deep blue sky passed through 
the branches upon a soft velvet carpet of moss. A 
proud cypress raised its head in the pure ether, 
and by its side, near an old wall, swayed an orange- 
tree covered with fruit. Its branches served as 



TWO HAYS i\ THE BOCCHE DI CATTARO. 297 

supports to the vine, whilst near them the glowing 
pomegranates playfully bout down their tender pliant 
stems. At the foot of the slight declivity a fine 
prospect was before ns of the quiet glassy sea. 
Wc stopped through a stone archway into a terrace- 
formed court. A great and a little church, as well 
as the convent, stood on this place. 

Through the intercession of our amiable captain, 
they allowed us to enter the churches. The two 
old Greek monks, living in the lowest, led us over 
thorn. One of these, an elderly man with a long 
y beard, spoke broken Italian, so that wc were 
aide to understand him tolerably well. 

In the interior of the house of God, in accord- 
ance with Greek customs, a rich gilded wooden 
>n. with typical pictures, is placed in front of 
the altar. All the heads of Christ and the Ma- 
donna have the l<mg and not very attractive Oriental 
features. Particularly, we find represented there 
St. G< rge in armour, and many other saints. A 
few of these pictur< not without artistic value. 



298 



ON THE WING. 



From the ceiling hung rich silver lamps, ostrich 
eggs, and round decorations of wool, gold, and 
coloured ribbons. When I asked the monk, in 
astonishment, what was their meaning, he answered 
that each shipmaster, on launching a new ship, hangs 
one of these tasteless ornaments in the church. 

In the little chapel, which was the first built in 
this place, were to be found very beautiful pious 
gifts, amongst which we particularly remarked a 
fine carved cross, and several pictures set with 
jewels. The interior of the convent, which consists 
of only a few rooms, is small, and built in a poor 
style. In the refectory hang a few bad oil paint- 
ings of crowned Eussian heads. 

We took farewell of the dear old man who had 
led us over the sacred spot, and set off on our 
way, through the oak hedge, to Castelnuovo. Mean- 
while we were attracted by a little chapel on a 
height overgrown with aloes. 

Here we had a most extensive view. At our 
feet lay the sea ; the hills, covered with myrtle, 



TWO D^YS IN THE BOCCIIE DI CATTAEO. 2 99 

gleamed like silver against the blue horizon, and 
through these, intercepted by high crags, the in- 
finite ocean was visible. On one side we saw the 
ivy-covered walls of Castelnnovo. Not for from 
these, on the opposite side, arc the Turkish do- 
mains, and the remaining Bocchc, on whose shore 
lay scattered the most charming villas. All this is 
vaulted over by the glorious blue sky, and illu- 
minated by the mighty sun. On turning round, 
the prospect was as grand, but more gloomy ; 
groups of grey rocks, appearing to touch the sky, 
seemed cut out distinctly in the black stormy air. 
Only a few houses hung on the stony wall, sur- 
rounded by dark cypresses. The whole was spectre- 
like, yet it attracted the eyes with a mysterious 
power. These mountain walls, rising to the clouds, 
shut out the lovely shore of the Bocche. Thcpro- 
elevating; on one side, bewitching with 
Lthera charms; on the other, causing com- 
jsion by its proud desolation ; so that I said to 
my Pellow-travellerSj "This place fascinates me; 



300 



ON THE WING. 



I should like to build a villa here in the Venetian 
style, from each of whose windows, balconies, and 
terraces we might enjoy a rich view." This pro- 
posal was unanimously hailed with enthusiasm. 

In travelling one finds so many spots where one 
cries out, in glowing admiration, " Here let us 
build tabernacles." And we should have a great 
deal to do if we were always to carry out these 
secret wishes. 

The principal charm of this neighbourhood is 
formed by the happy union of the varied pheno- 
mena of nature — great seas, quiet lakes, the mix- 
ture of Northern and Southern vegetation, the palm 
and the oak, the sloping mountain and the rugged 
rocks. 

Through vineyards and thickets, now ascending, 
now descending, we came at last to the fort Spa- 
niol, which crowns Castelnuovo. In its vicinity we 
saw a neglected, roofless house, the walls of which 
were overgrown with ivy, so that the house was 
like the French hedges of clipped trees. 



TWO DATS IX THE BOCCHE DI CATTABO. 30l 

Close by it, ou the road, sat an old woman, of 
a witch-like appearance. She begged for alms. 
When we looked at her closer we found that her 
whole face was painted with small crosses; she 
assured ns the priest had marked her in this way. 
Perhaps it was to protect this poor woman from 
the superstition of the people, who are still very- 
backward on this point in Dalmatia; possibly the 
old woman is the bad spirit who haunts the ruined 
ivy-covered building. 

The snn shone with a glowing, oppressive heat 
upon the castle; the sight, however, of Austrian 
lierSj so long denied, rejoiced us. The white 
coats look well everywhere, in the depths of the 
South as in the heights of the Xorth. We saw the 
different parts of the fortress which were built 
under Charles V., after the Emperor had taken 
the little town of Castelnuovo from the Venetians. 
The towers in the four corners are strongly forti- 
fied; in one of these exists a very well-built cis- 
tern. Over the entrance gate is a beautifully-carved 



302 ON THE WING. 

Turkish inscription, put there by the Mahometans 
when they wrested the fortress from the Spaniards. 

At the entrance of the town is an open space, 
which tradition says was destined as the place of 
meeting for the duel-battle between the Spaniards 
and the Mussulmen. The town is poor and small, 
with narrow, steep little streets at the end of it ; 
however, towards the sea is a strong fortress, built 
of freestone ; we visited this also. From all these 
points we enjoyed the most beautiful prospects. 
The inner town is surrounded by a high wall, 
through which leads a very steep entrance door; 
over this shelving, badly-paved doorway a bey on 
horseback is said to have leapt at full gallop. It 
is scarcely to be believed ; but, although the Turk 
is awkward when on foot, he is skilful and daring 
when on the wild horses of the desert. Travellers 
are also shown a red-painted place on the town 
wall on which the Moslems exhibited the bleeding 
heads of the Christians to the shuddering people. 

We left the town almost melting with heat, and 



TWO DAYS IX THE BOCGHE DI CATTARO. 303 

retained through the cooling thickets, and lower 
way, by the walls of the convent, which had be- 
come so dear to us, back to the hospital. It looked 
lovely now in the still peaceful evening ; the earth, 
the sea, the air rested from their creative life of 
the day, and so did we. 

We returned back to our ship, and refreshed 
our tired bodies with dinner, served on deck. After 
dinner we entered into a political discussion, which 
kept some of our company awake until eleven 
o'clock at night. 

The following day, very early, our steamer was 
again set in motion, in order that we might visit 
the remaining parts of the Bocchc. Scarcely had 
we lost sight of the bay, in which stand the convent 
and the hospital, than a new lake, formed by the 
sea, spread itself before us. It was less beautiful, 
but perhaps more charming and pleasant, than the 
others. The mountains which surround it are 
more softly moulded, and more luxuriant in vege- 
tation and cultivation. Fruitful olive-woods and 



304 ON THE WING. 

rich vineyards, varied by bright fields, cover the 
soft rising shore. This part has more the qualities 
of a rural landscape, and contrasts with the Bocche, 
where the sea is narrowed into a canal, encircled 
with rocks. The mild air becomes cold and in- 
tense ; one fancies one has strayed into a rocky 
labyrinth without an outlet. Suddenly the steep 
shore widens, and we find ourselves in a still 
melancholy water, which resembles a distant 
mountain lake. The bare rough rocks are re- 
flected in the deep blue floods. 

Opposite the entrance is a pretty village. The 
eye lingers with pleasure on this cheerful spot; 
perched upon the stone wall, it is like an elegant 
little nest in a solemn churchyard. Two little is- 
lands, containing churches, rest on the blue mirror. 
The Sunday peal of the bells greeted us with Chris- 
tian solemnity, and, as we also wished to hear Mass, 
we stopped the steamer, seated ourselves in a boat, 
and steered for this place, called Perasto. 

This town was built by the Yenetians, and re- 



■ 



TWO DAYS IX THE BOCCHE Dl CATTARO. 305 

minds one, in miniature, of the capital of the 

merchant people. The seats of the nobility, ele- 
gantly-built palaces, with balconies and Moorish 
arched windows, arc varied in a lovely confusion 
by a great number of beautiful churches, between 
which rise a few slender cypresses. 

When we landed we found a rather large crowd 
of people assembled on the quay. Some amongst 
them were remarkable for their peculiar costumes. 
The dresses of Dalmatia, as everywhere else in 
the South, are very various and original. When 
we inquired about Mass, we were told there would 
be one later. We employed the interval in making 
a visit to the island, which is celebrated for its 
church to the Madonna. 

The whole of the small island is like a beautiful 
terrace, upon which stands a church, adorned with 
cupolas, after the Byzantine style. According to the 
legend, a fisherman found the picture of the Madonna 
upon a little rock just below the terrace. After this 
picture had worked several miracles, it was re- 

x 



306 ON THE WING. 

solved to build a church upon the rock. There 
being, however, but little space, the pious citizens 
of Perasto continued to throw stones into the sea, 
until there arose the little island on which the 
church is now built. 

The interior is very prettily ornamented with 
marble altars. But, in order that the floods may 
not again swallow up that which was collected 
with so much trouble and care, every shipowner 
must lade his vessel with a cargo of stones, and 
throw them out by the island into the waters. 

"When we returned to Perasto they told us that 
we were too late for Mass. We again got into 
the steamer and went to Cattaro. From this rocky 
melancholy Bocche, we came to another, on the 
shores of which a steep rock wall runs, up to Cattaro, 
whilst on the other the most charming landscape is 
offered to the eyes. To which of these Bocche to 
give the preference is difficult to decide. The latter, 
however, is indisputably the most lively, for house 
after house stands on the declivity, surrounded 



TWO DAYS IN THE BOCCHE DI CATTARO. 307 

by gardens, amidst which palms and cypresses are 

varied by pomegranates and orange-trees. 

The houses, embedded in the freshest green, all 
give signs of wealth. They belong chiefly to rich 
ship captains, whose wives chatter at home over 
their distaffs, whilst their husbands struggle with 
the waves in the American waters. Near many 
of the buildings w r e saw ships lying in docks 
suited to the size of the vessel, which are placed 
there as an emblem of the happy return of the 
absent. 

Quite at the end of this long beautiful Bocche 
lies the little town of Cattaro, leaning against a 
wall of rock, upon which giddy height is the fort. 
Close by this lies a very good road to Montenegro, 
made by the Austrian government, and intended to 
facilitate the intercourse. The inhabitants of Mon- 
tenegro, however, leave it unused; they prefer 
climbing down the steep rocks. 

A- Cattaro is a fortress, on arriving one sees 
but little of the town, which is built on a very 

x 2 



308 ON THE WING. 

narrow place. We were almost inclined to take it 
for the end of the world, it was so surrounded with 
masses of rocks. We caused our vessel to be 
stopped for some hours. In the roadstead were 
numbers of ships, among others the steamer ' Cas- 
talone,' a man-of-war. When we had landed we 
ran through the town, which had nothing remark- 
able about it, with the exception of a pretty, half- 
Gothic, half Byzantine cathedral porch, and a few 
houses built in the Venetian style. 

Towards four o'clock we returned by the same 
way we had come, in the beautiful evening light, 
which is softer, and shows the outlines of objects 
more distinctly. The various scenes had still a 
Southern aspect, if not the strength and warmth of 
Greece. We now approached nearer the rocky 
shore on which we had turned our backs in the 
morning, and saw that it exhibited many charms 
of nature, and, in several places, was studded with 
the most homely little villages. In the evening 
we again anchored in the bay of the Lazaret. 



TWO DAYS IN THE BOCCHE DI CATTARO. 300 

The fooling which had boon raised in ns by 
the sight of the Bocche was astonishment that at 
home they did not know more about this enchant- 
ing neighbonrhood. Everybody rushes to Nice, 
to Florence, and other half-Southern regions, never 
dreaming that in their own native country they 
have something so much more beautiful, and which 
unites all the charms of vegetation with the most 
glorious climate. The Venetian palaces stand 
empty ; they only require to be bought for eight 
hundred or a thousand piastres, and then be in- 
habited, in order to offer to the possessors the 
most exquisite views, and the most spacious, splen- 
did rooms. But no ! they rush to a distance, let 
their money go amongst strange people, and are 
contented with a bad lodging, in order to be with 
strangers ; feel happy because they arc in the 

:ion, and sigh over the uninteresting, dull 
Fatherland ! 

Certainly civilization in these southern parts of 
Austria is not very much advanced; but if a rich 



310 ON THE WING. 

man, accustomed to comforts, makes up his mind 
to settle in these parts he will find a good founda- 
tion; and, if he is wise, he will be too happy to 
take up his abode in a paradise, where the palm 
and the oak, peace and strength grow together 
like brethren. 



31] 



CHAPTER XIII. 

RAGUSA. 

Early in the morning, whilst we were still slum- 
bering comfortably, our steamer entered the haven 
of Gravosa, the principal harbour of the town of 
Ragusa. "When we mounted on deck we saw that 
we were surrounded by the most lovely coasts. Soft 
rerdant chains of mountains wound round the 
deep blue flood. On the seashore rose villas built 
in the Venetian style, and surrounded by cypresses, 
with other plants of Southern growth. The country 
could not be justly called magnificent or imposing, 
but it is simply charming. The view of the town 
of Ragusa is shut oul by the heights of Bella 



312 ON THE WING. 

Yista; we were therefore obliged to be satisfied 
with that of the immediate neighbourhood, which, 
however, fully recompenses an admirer of nature 
such as I am. The splendid morning was bright, 
mild, and enjoyable. 

It was not till the middle of the day that we 
visited the town. Much as I looked forward to see- 
ing this historically interesting place, I was not loth 
to spend this lovely morning on deck in the balmy 
fresh air, and in sight of such beautiful scenery. 
Although it is my practice, when travelling, to 
make the most of every opportunity for looking 
about me and gathering knowledge, I do not 
object sometimes to pass a few hours reviewing 
former pleasant impressions. The traveller who 
wishes to derive profit from his travels must have 
the power of " fighting his battles o'er again," and 
of noting them down in his diary. It is only by 
these means that what you have seen will remain 
indelibly imprinted on your mind for life. Long 
afterwards, seated by your " ain fireside," past 



RAGUSA. 313 

adventures blossom afresh in recollection. This is 
what I did this lovely morning, and set to work 
diligently at my diary. 

Unfortunately, my brother was obliged to spend 
this beautiful day in bed, having caught cold the 
evening we visited Castelnuovo, in the Bocche di 
Cattaro. Dr. F. remained for the first part of the 
morning with him ; later on, however, in the day 
he wandered with C. over Bella Vista into the 
town. Prince J. and Baron K. had been there 
since the morning, purchasing some of the weapons 
peculiar to the country, and buying some Dalma- 
tian wine, of a very poor description, to supply 
the ship, we having run short of that necessary 
article. Count C. and I remained alone with 
my brother ; the attentive Dr. F., however, had 

rcely seen the town than he returned, and re- 
1 us from our attendance on the invalid. 

We now i'»wcd in a little boat to land, got into a 
vehicle (the only one of its kind to be had in 
B igusa), and proceeded by the high-road we men- 



314 ON THE WING. 

tioned before as being so well-made, yet almost 
useless, to the summit of Bella Vista. This point 
richly deserves its euphonious name, as from thence 
the sea is presented three times over to the en- 
chanted gaze. The rocks descend from the moun- 
tain perpendicularly into the sea, which, roaring 
and foaming, dashes against the rugged dark 
masses. Hundreds of aloes covering the sides in- 
crease the Southern effect. 

To the right is to be seen the beautiful harbour 
of Gravosa. An Arcadian scene ! To the left ap- 
pear the cupolas of the town, which is built on a 
small space at the foot of a hill. Yilla upon villa 
meets the eye, surrounded by cheerful gardens filled 
with palms, laurels, pomegranates, sensitive-plants, 
and other Southern vegetation. At the extreme 
end of the town a high rock projects into the sea, 
on which lies the fort of San Pietro. The barren 
summit of the elevation is crowned by the Fort 
Napoleon or Fort Imperial. 

This charming view, lit up by the lovely weather, 



EAGUSA. 3 I 5 

reminded me forcibly of descriptions and drawings 

of Sicily. It is very different from the Grecian 
landscapes. Hellas gives an impression of melan- 
choly yearning solemnity, whilst here is set the 
stamp of grand yet charming Italy. 

We left our carriage and returned on foot to 
the town. The road, surrounded by villas, slopes 
gradually down to the strong Venetian town- wall. 
It was pointed out to us that for some way the 
country-houses were empty and uninhabited. The 
reason was as follows: — In the year 1805 they 
wore plundered by Eussians and citizens of Mon- 
tenegro. Then the French defended themselves 
in the interior of the town. The country now is 
poor ; the power of the nobles is broken, and 
they are unable to sell their possessions on account 
of the entails. Thus the bare walls have been 
Left to a certain decay. 

We readied two stone gates close to each other, 
and from thence entered the inner town by a street 
paved with whit gstones. We might have 



316 ON THE WING. 

imagined ourselves transported to Venice. Near 
the entrance was a convent of the Franciscans, 
built in the Byzantine- Gothic style. After this 
follows a row of palaces, belonging to the ancient 
nobility. 

Eagusa was, on a small scale, a republic, like 
Venice, governed by nobles, at whose head was 
a Doge, elected afresh every month by the senators. 
During the short period of his dignity he was 
not allowed to leave his beautifully-arranged 
palace. Only on certain festivities he showed one 
of his feet outside the door. This liberty was 
almost like a prison for the presidents of the 
senators ; nevertheless they quarrel for the honour 
of it. 

In order that no one noble should be more 
powerful than the rest, it was necessary that his 
possessions should be scattered over different por- 
tions of the Eagusan republic. 

In the flourishing epoch of the French govern- 
ment these aristocratic institutions were erased. 



RAGUSA. 317 

This once independent town, with the remainder 

of the Venetian lands, became subject to the crown 
of Austria. Only the name of the nobility is 
preserved by their sons, who gain a scanty sus- 
tenance in the magnificent structure of their fore- 
fathers. The glory is vanished, but the hatred 
of certain parties in the republic exists still amidst 
their powerful descendants. As all domestic quar- 
rels are laid aside at the approach of a foreign in- 
vading power, so it was in Eagusa in the year 
1848, a certain party allied themselves with the 
Venetians ; although, hitherto, the town had been 
at enmity with them. 

From the streets, rich in palaces, small dark 
alleys lead over the rest of the town, and even 
lure rise occasional beautiful palaces. The broad 
street, through the centre, ends in the picturesque 
place of Moneta. From the excellent state of the 
pavement, it is easy to perceive that carriages 
seldom drive that way. Here also the eye is never 
w< ■;irv of admiring the beautiful architecture. The 



318 ON THE WING. 

most remarkable of all the buildings is the Ex- 
change, with its graceful Venetian bow-windows, 
the guard-house, and next to it the beautiful stone 
fountain, in whose exquisitely worked basin, light 
jets throw out the clearest and best water. As far 
as regards architecture, there is the beautiful 
though not large church consecrated to St. Blasius, 
the patron saint of Eagusa. We entered the in- 
terior of this latter, in which I was most struck 
with the situation of the organ, as it is immediately 
behind the high-altar, looking as if it hung from 
the wall. 

We then betook ourselves to the Piazza del 
Duomo, upon which stands the palace of the 
Doge- — a miniature imitation of that of Venice — 
and the cathedral. This latter is built of a white 
stone, in the Eoman style. It contained a small 
chapel, overflowing with gold ornaments. 

In the centre of the church we saw an immense 
quantity of relics, very remarkable from their an- 
tiquity and tasteful setting. Amongst these was 



KAiilSA. 319 

something of a rather unpleasant nature, i.e. the 
whole body of a saint modelled in wax, and painted 
to show where he had received his death-wounds. 
The priest appeared to venerate this relic particu- 
larly. They showed us this collection with great 
pride, and not without just reason, for I have 
seldom seen so large a number of relics in one 
place. 

Two other of the many remarkable objects 
struck me greatly. They were a gold ewer and 
basin. Inside these we could see the symbols of 
the ocean exquisitely worked in dark metal. They 
consisted in fish, lizards, cray-fish, salamanders, 
and such-like reptiles. A priest expressed his 

jet to me that the machinery of this piece had 
n spoiled, as formerly, when you washed your- 
self, at the very moment the water touched the 
bottom of the basin, the little reptiles moved 
round in a circle, impelled by the pressure of 
the water. 

In the time when pigtails were worn, the clergy 



320 ON THE WING. 

were fond of these quaint treasures of art, and 
objects of this kind are still to be found in many 
convents. 

From the church we went to the palace of the 
Doge. On the ground- floor we saw a wide bright 
gallery, supported by columns, with Moorish 
arches. One of these pillars comes from the 
Temple of iEsculapius of Essidorus, now called 
Eagusa Yecchia. The capital is decorated with 
typical " haut-reliefs," representing the art of the 
demi-god. The palace had once a second story, 
which was, however, destroyed by the fearful 
earthquake in 1760. 

From the inner court a beautiful Arcadian stair- 
case leads into the first floor. At the foot of this 
stands a wooden bust, lightly coated with zinc; 
it represents a citizen of the republic, to which 
he had left a large sum of money. Every state 
is most grateful for a patriotic deed of this de- 
scription, i 

The magnificence of the inner rooms of the 1 " 



■■ 



RAGUSA. o21 

palace has entirely disappeared, and, instead of a 
Doge, a captain of the Guards is installed, with 
whom we met the rest of our fellow-travellers. 
This captain then led us up a terrace belonging to 
the place, from whence we had a beautiful view of 
some of the palaces, the sea, and the little harbour 
of the town. 

When we left the ducal palace, on our way from 
the town, we passed the beautiful Dominican con- 
vent, now lying in ruins. They also wished to 
show us the Turkish lazaret and the bazaar, situ- 
ated near the sea. This latter is quite a contrast 
to that of Smyrna, being a desolate-looking empty 
space, in which the Turks transact their business 
with the citizens of Eagusa three times a week. 
To my great joy I saw a few Mahometans in their 
magnificent attire, which reminded me of my bc- 
loved Smyrna. 

Returning to the town we passed through a few 
n re streets of palaces, and concluded our short 
btay in Bagusa with a visit t<> the Franciscan con- 

v 



322 ON THE WING. 

vent, which is situated near the town wall. The 
most interesting objects in the convent were the 
cloisters, built in the richest style, and running 
round the outer circle of the walls. On the top 
of these, and supported by beautiful Byzantine 
columns, rests a wide terrace, with a fine carved 
stone balustrade. This terrace serves as a walk for 
the monks. In the centre of the court rises a 
magnificent orange-tree. The amiable Prior showed 
us all over the convent. Amongst other objects, 
the newly-built library is of some consideration. 
At the gate we again found our splendid vehicle, 
and returned with the captain to Gravosa over 
Bella Yista. 

Eagusa, with its numerous historical recollec- 
tions, had made a great impression upon me. The 
beautiful situation, the mild climate, and the 
various objects of art delight the eye of a connois- 
seur. The captain accompanied us to the vessel, 
as he intended to show us the celebrated plantain- 
trees of Canossa after dinner, and also, on the 



RAGUSA. 323 

following morning, to go with us to Curzola and 
Sabioncella. 

We should have started immediately, as the 

steam was already up, had not our good K. lost 
himself so completely in the library of the town, 
that he did not return till late, accompanied by a 
Franciscan and a priest, between whom he looked as 
if lie were in penance. lie was so entirely engrossed 
by his scientific conversation, that he never took 
heed of the boat we had sent for him. At last, when 
he was on board we left Gravosa, and steered between 
the islands of Callamota, Mezzo, and Giupana, to 
Canossa, which place we reached after sunset. 

The captain told ns that in the island of Mez- 
zo, a mantle is shown to this day which once be- 
longed to Charles Y. A man in high office had 
an audience with the Emperor, who, being in haste, 
received him in this identical mantle. In the 
course of the interview, he permitted the suitor to 
beg for a favour. As in those days the imperial 
person was held in high honour, the official asked 

y2 



324 ON THE WING. 

the Emperor to present him with the white silken 
cloak which hnng over his shoulders. 

The next island is that of St. Andrew. It is 
bleak and barren. The only inhabitants were a 
few monks in a little convent. The island is, how- 
ever, celebrated through a touching event which 
took place there. 

A young monk of high rank, living in this 
monastery, was greatly beloved by a peasant girl 
residing on the mainland of Yal di Noce. Every 
night the maiden swam across the broad strait to a 
certain point, which the young monk lit up for her 
by means of a lamp. The brothers of the maiden 
became acquainted with these meetings, and one 
evening when their sister was going to visit her 
lover, they went on before in a boat. As soon as 
they heard the noise made by the swimmer in cleav- 
ing the waters, they lit a light. The maiden fol- 
lowed the light, making for it with anxious haste. 
The unmerciful brothers went on farther and 
farther, the sister ever following the delusive rays, 



RAGUSA. 325 

till at last, exhausted to death, she sank beneath 

the floods. When the beams of the setting sun 
are visible, and you sec the melancholy neighbour- 
hood and the soft blue sea around you, the remem- 
brance of this story fills you with sadness. 

Canossa is the country residence of a noble of 
Bagusa. We climbed over a very steep rocky path 
to the entrance of the garden. Here, again, 
Southern abundance reigned in its fullest extent. 
Thick avenues of lam-el and box crossed through 
woods of dark green olive-trees. Long terraces, 
built upon the rocky cliffs, stretched towards the 
sea, and the beautiful creeping vine wove its 
branches everywhere. Nature looked even more 
blooming in the dim twilight. 

Wandering, in silent admiration, through the 
tliickets, we all suddenly stopped, mute with sur- 
prise. Before us stood the largest oak we had ever 
beheld. The symmetrical trunk of this gigantic 
tree appeared almost to touch the heavens. The 
lower part of the stem was devoid of branches ; 



326 ON THE WING. 

after a considerable height these began to shoot 
forth to such a vast extent that they formed a kind 
of roof for the surrounding trees. It is said that 
this oak is only 150 years old. Its rich green foliage 
will therefore be the joy of generations yet unborn, 
that is, if we may believe the saying relative to an 
oak, which asserts that it takes 100 years to grow, 
100 to flourish, and 100 to decay. This mighty 
tree of Canossa is therefore still in its youthful 
prime, able to resist the storms of many winters. 
"Would that in Germany we had its equals ! 

We now turned our attention to a stone basin, 
decorated with a statue of Neptune. This foun- 
tain, which once enchanted the rich noble who 
owned the place, exists no longer for his poverty- 
stricken descendants. The stonework of former 
greatness now fails in ruins. But this very decay 
increased the picturesque melancholy of the spot. 
Plants of all kinds grew between the chinks of the 
walls, and a chain of evergreen ivy interlaced itself 
amongst the crumbling stones, and wound itself 



RAGUSA. 3^7 

round the withered limbs of the sovereign water- 
god. The pleasure nature takes in excelling art 
seemed shown by the wild yet charming disorder 
around this fountain. Perhaps, in the still evening 
the leaves of the pomegranate and myrtle whispered 
to each other the tales of bygone splendours, when 
the senators still reigned supreme over the land. 

N< >t far from this poetic spot, grow the celebrated 
wonders of the country — the plantains of Canossa. 
They are the two most gigantic trees in Europe. 
Their huge and shadowy branches form a species of 
canopy, beneath which a whole Austrian regiment 
\s -aid to have once encamped. Considering their 
enormous height they arc still very young, for they 
also are not more than loO years old. The circum- 
ference of the older one is twenty-seven, and of 
the younger thirty feet. Each of the principal 
branches is as thick as an ordinary good-sized tree. 
Two brandies have grown together. The bark of 
the trunk is fresh and smooth, and we could not 
find a trace of old age. The plaintain is always 



328 ON THE WING. 

a beautiful tree ; it looked magnificent now in its 
gigantic dimensions. 

"When we left the garden to return to our ship, 
it was already night ; the bright blue heavens had 
become suddenly overcast by black clouds. During 
the night we steered for the island of Curzola,; 
and when we awoke in the morning we found 
ourselves before the little town which takes its 
name from the island. The weather was dark and 
rainy, and not calculated to show any country to 
advantage, much less the barren suburbs of a town. 

After breakfast we rowed to land. Here, also, 
we found everything built after the Venetian man- 
ner, — pretty little balconies, Moorish arches, with 
elegant decorations, lending an irresistible charm 
to the house of the middle-class citizen. Our 
forefathers understood this art. The poorest man 
would make the exterior of his house picturesque, 
and the interior comfortable; whereas, with the 
present style of architecture, even palaces are cold, 
stiff, and uni. xabitable. The eye of beauty loves 



RA.GUSA. 829 

to rest on winding galleries and curved arches, and 
abhors straight linos and blank walls. I greatly 
prefer the old Gorman house, with its gables and 
its turrets ; or tho Venetian palace, with its arches 
and balconies, to the whitewashed, barrack-looking 
buildings of the nineteenth century, reminding one 
forcibly of dolls' -houses. Poetry is no more — 
quenched in these days of speculation and domestic 
cares. 

The Cathedral of Cnrzola is interesting to look 
at. When we entered, a patriotic musician was 
playing the Badetzky march as a welcome for us. 
It sounded peculiar on the organ within these 
'i i d walls; but I liked this last song of the late 
Strauss here as everywhere. The interior of the 
church was gloomy, but venerable. In a side 
chapel, hidden behind columns, we were shown a 
fine Titian. "We admired the powerful colouring 
and grand composition of this great artist. 

A- we passed through the narrow, gloomy streets 
we noticed, on a door of a ruined dace, a mag- 



330 ON THE WING. 

nificent knocker of Corinthian metal, representing 
Neptune with his sea-horses. The workmanship 
was exquisitely fine, and struck us connoisseurs 
so much that we made use of the instrument, in 
order to find out if any one inhabited this desolate 
abode, and, if so, to entice them forth, and induce 
them to listen to our offers of purchase. 

No obliging spirit appeared at the first rap of 
the knocker, which gave a musical sound. It was 
not till we began to knock louder that we saw the 
old door slowly open, and a good-natured-looking 
old witch, accompanied by a blind man, appeared 
in the entrance. They seemed immensely sur- 
prised at our intrusion, for it was probably a 
long time since this old gentleman and his house- 
keeper had received any visitors. We praised the 
Neptune, which seemed to charm them ; when, 
however, we came to ask about the price the old 
gentleman turned a deaf ear. He assured us that 
an Englishman had offered him as much silver as 
the knocker would weigh. This somewhat alarmed 



RAGU6A. 331 

us ; we therefore took leave hastily, and left the 
town. 

When we readied the docks we found them filled 
with a great number of excellent ships ; it is these 
which give the town its importance. The mate- 
rials are brought from Herzegovina, and from the 
valley of the Naventa. The wealth of the Dalma- 
tians is always afloat, and thev wage constant war 
with the restless element. The soil of the country 
bring so unfruitful and rocky, necessity compels 
them to seek their fortunes by water. 

We now returned to our ship, and steered for 
the peninsula Sabioncella. The sea had become 
rougher ; the greater part of our company there- 
fore felt no inclination to descend into the little 
rocking boat, and go to visit the coast. Count 
C, Professor G., and I alone dared the tossing 
waves, and rowed to land amidst a pelting shower 
of rain, 

8 bioncella had been mentioned to us on account 
of the remarkable dresses of its women. The 



332 ON THE WING. 

place itself really consists in nothing beyond a 
single line of houses scattered along the sea-shore, 
and surrounded by luxuriant gardens overshadowed 
by plane-trees. The houses belong to rich ship- 
owners, who, after travelling about the greater 
part of their youth, settle down in old age by their 
own firesides, laden with treasures and experiences. 

We entered the Podesta's house. He, also, had 
formerly been a sea-captain, and his two brothers 
were even now in America. The object of our 
visit was to see one of the dresses worn by the 
women of this peninsula for many centuries. We 
were offered seats in a very clean and respectable 
parlour, which reminded me strongly of Marry at' s 
novels. The walls were hung with prints in simple 
frames, maps and charts, which added to its pretty 
bright appearance. The furniture was of a light 
wood and cane, probably it had belonged formerly 
to the cabin of some vessel. 

The floor was scoured as clean as the deck of a 
man-of-war, and a glass door opening into a balcony 



raots.v. 333 

gave a view of the sea. How often the wife must 
have looked out here for the return of her sailor- 
husband ! Even now, it is the old captain's greatest 
amusement to watch the course of the going and 
coming vessels through his telescope. 

We had not to wait lone: before the Podesta's 
pretty daughter made her appearance, dressed in 
the peculiar costume. On her head she wore a 
man's hat, made of straw, from whose narrow brim 
hung a broad many-coloured ribbon, arranged in 
such a manner that it almost covered the whole 
hat. On one side of this were placed five or six 
large ostrich feathers, whilst cherry-coloured rib- 
bons hung down by her ears, and were caught up 
in graceful loops. Two jet-black curls formed a 
beautiful contrast to the dazzlingly white skin of 
the delicate face. Golden needles were stuck about 
her rich dress, after the fashion of the Eoman 
ladies, and various chains of the same metal were 
twined round her white neck. She had on a brown 
jacket, and a small kerchief of tho most brilliant 



334 ON THE WING. 

H 

colours. Her bodice was also made of many colours, 
and was ornamented with gold chains and coins. 
Her skirt was of red, yellow, and blue stripes. 
The little feet were clad in very pretty, neat tied 
shoes, with ribbon rosettes. The tout ensemble 
was a mixture of the most brilliant colouring. 
Had it not been for the quaint hut, the costume 
would have been called beautiful. The style of 
dress is just the same for widows, only all in 
black. 

Count C, wishing to be very polite, tried to 
speak to the pretty modest girl ; but, unfortunately, 
she understood none of our languages. Amidst 
the rain, we returned to our floating-palaces, and 
teased those of our companions who had cowardly 
stayed behind with the description of the beautiful 
vision we had beheld at the house of the Podesta. 



335 



CHAPTER XIV. 



THE FOURTH OF OCTOBER, ON THE OPEN SEA. 



Eight o'clock was the hour fixed for our depar- 
ture from the harbour of Zara. It was the fete 
day of our beloved Sovereign. On the previous 
day we had received an invitation to a state dinner 
at the Vice-Governor's. During the course of 
the entertainment, the Governor gave a toast to 
the Emperor, which was received amidst the sound 
of music and the thunder of cannon. 

Early this morning our amiable host, with other 
generals of the town, came on board the i Vulcan ' 
to take leave of us. We thanked him most sincerely 
for the great kindness he had shown us during our 



336 ON THE WING. 

two days' residence in Zara, he having endeavoured 
to the best of his ability to entertain us, and to 
make the remembrance of this little place agree- 
able to us. On the first day he had given us a 
soiree and theatricals. On the second he had 
conducted us, himself, all over the town, showing 
us what was worth seeing. After the last dinner 
that he gave us, he took us to a walk in the in- 
teresting surburbs of Zara. Yesterday evening he 
entertained us ; by having a band in the illuminated 
park. He possessed the faculty of conjuring up 
these little fetes as by magic, which rendered our 
stay in Zara very pleasant. 

The sights in this little town are not numerous, 
although, like ail places subject to Venice, it pos- 
sesses some interesting churches and fortresses. 
The most remarkable amidst the erections of modern 
times is a bomb-proof barrack, which is distin- 
guished by its beautiful and suitable architecture. 
There are also some cisterns within the walls of the 
fortress, which go by the name of the " cinque 



THE FOURTH OF OCTOBER, ON THE OPEN SEA. 337 



pazzi." All the waters of the town join here, 
and are filtered through sand, after which they 
become tit for use. This idea, although it does 

not sound inviting, is extremely clever. 

Through the -Porta della Terra Ferma," which 
is built in a wonderfully elegant Venetian style of 
blackish-yellow stone, we came into the open 
country, which, near the town, is very flat and 
uninteresting, and fully answers to its name. The 
sea, however, which adds a peculiar charm to every 
region, the innumerable islands, the large mountain- 
range separating Dalmatia from the Austrian mili- 
tary frontiers, — all this gives the landscape a beau- 
tiful melancholy stamp, which becomes even more 
marked towards evening. Then the houses and 
the barren plains are tinged with a purple hue 
by tli.' setting sun, giving them a sad sombre 
colouring, which appeals to the soul ; so, at least, 
it did to mine, filling me with a sweet melan- 
choly. 

The vegetation is peer, and the want of wood- 

•A 



338 ON THE WING. 

land reminds one of the Venetian dominions. Un- 
fortunately the growth of a new plantation lessens 
the number of the goats, which, with donkeys, are 
the principal cattle of the country. Through the 
want of vegetation, the sun scorches up every- 
thing; and even the little stream-sources are all 
dried up. 

In this respect, as in many others, there is a 
strong resemblance between Dalmatia and Greece. 
Both are to be pitied on this account; and the 
removal of these difficulties could only be effected 
by very strong measures, of which the nation would 
not feel the benefit till after the lapse of several 
years. But the egotism of the world is too great. 
Everything is done for the present moment alone ; 
and such measures would be very difficult for 
Government unless they were supported by the 
people. The obstinate resolution of a woman, like 
England's Elizabeth, would be necessary for such 
a purpose. She, we are told, caused all ugly and 
faulty horses to be killed, in order to improve the 



THE FOXTRTH OF OCTOBER OM THE OPEN SEA. 339 

breed. The plan was successful, but its benefits 
were only reaped in the third generation. 

As it struck eight o'clock, and the wheels of 
our steamer began to revolve, the courteous gene- 
rals on shore gave us three cheers. Then, amidst 
the thunder of cannon and the sound of the na- 
tional hymn, which announced to the people that 
it was the fete of the Emperor, we left the town 
of Zara at full speed. It was an imposing sight, 
and our feeling of national pride rose strong within 
us. It seemed a grand idea that such a day is 
celebrated from the coldest point of Gallicia to the 
Lowest depths of Dalmatia. 

Unfortunately, the morning was rather gloomy ; 
the sea, however, was extremely calm, to the great 
joy of the bad sailors. We spent the forenoon 
partly on deck and partly in the cabin, to which we 
were reduced by an unpleasant rain, which quite 
swamped the deck. We wrote our journals, dis- 
cussed politics, — this latter occupation generally 
originated from Count ('., — and so spent a few 



340 ON THE WING. 

merry hours very agreeably. When, after a time, in 
spite of the weather, we went on deck, we witnessed 
a spectacle which caused general regret. 

We were sailing some distance from land, when 
suddenly a poor little robin redbreast passed terror- 
stricken over our heads. It sought anxiously for a 
resting-place for its weary wings, yet scarcely had it 
perched on one of the shrouds than it again darted 
away, alarmed by the unusual objects. To return 
to the mainland was impossible, it had ventured 
too far over the treacherous flood. Several times 
we quite lost sight of it, and then again it reap- 
peared, almost dropping with fatigue. At last it 
disappeared entirely, and in all probability perished 
in the waves. It reminded me so forcibly of the 
Introduction to Lenau's ' Faust ; ' the great poet 
describes this picture with so much deep feeling 
and sadness. We would willingly have saved 
the poor little animal, but it was impossible to 
get at it. 

Towards dinner-time the weather fortunately 



THE FOURTH OF OCTOBER, ON THE OPEN ska. 341 

cleared up, and we were able to celebrate this 
auspicious day to the best of our abilities. Wc 
caused the dinner to be served on the newly- 
decorated deck, and we sat down to it in full uni- 
form. The captain commanded the great cannon 
to be loaded, so that the report should thunder 
across the Austrian sea at the very moment the 
toast was proposed. The last bottles of good wine 
wire brought up from the cellar, wc having been 
somewhat free with this part of our provisions. 
To-day, however, everything was to be of the best, 
because not only was it the fete of our Emperor, 
but it was also one of the last of our delightful 
journey, which we had owed to the kindness of that 
monarch. 

We had invited all the officers of the vessel to 
dinner, and at five o'clock we assembled. The 
heavy clouds with which, in the morning, the sky 
had been overcast, had dispersed over Austria's 
beautiful horizon. Everybody was in the merriest 
and most joyful humour. Even my brother— jusl 



342 ON THE WING. 

recovered, thank God, from a violent fever- — and 
the poor captain, who had also been unwell for 
some days past, made their appearance. Nobody 
wished to be absent on this day. 

In the middle of dinner we all stood up, the 
sailors mounted the rigging, and I, then, from the 
very depths of my heart, proposed the Emperor's 
health. Cheers followed from all sides of the 
vessel, the cannon roared, and, at the same moment, 
the fog, which had hitherto obscured the horizon, 
vanished, and the sun shone forth, gloriously re- 
flected in the pure glassy sea. Heaven and earth 
gleamed in splendour ; the water, the air, and the 
last rays of the setting sun glittering on our 
crystal glasses, all united to celebrate this day. 

Toast after toast now followed, not unmixed with 
a feeling of sadness, as we thought that we were 
gathered together for the last time around the 
festal board of the dear 'Vulcan.' At each fresh 
cheer an echoing answer came from the sailors in 
the rigging, till their turn also arrived, and they 



Till- FOURTH OF OCTOBER, ON THE OPEN SEA. 343 

too were regaled with wine. The generous wine 

did not fail to produce a lively effect. From the 
highest to the lowest, all were of good cheer, as 
it became them to be on such a day. 

Although we came from more southerly regions, 
and were therefore more susceptible to the cold, Ave 
remained on deck till quite late in the evening. 
Even when it had become totally dark, the sound 
of the national hymn was still heard in Italian 
from the merry and grateful sailors. After a few 
mere songs we all went to bed for the last night we 
should spend together on the ' Vulcan.' How glad 
I was to think that this, our last evening, had been 
spent so happily and pleasantly ! 



nil; END. 



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